High court rap for state, BMC for taking disaster mgmt ‘lightly’

MUMBAI : The Bombay high court (HC) on Friday rapped the state and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for not conducting regular meetings of the disaster management cell just because the Disaster Management Act (DMA) has not fixed a schedule for it.

A division bench of justice AS Oka and MS Sonak were hearing a petition filed by Dr Sanjay Lakhe Patil, stating that despite the earlier orders of the bench to the state government, the meetings are not being conducted regularly.

Patil said the state wasn’t providing funds to the cell or taking up any activity to prevent disasters.

While BMC told the court that meetings were being held as and when the need arose, government pleader Abhinandan Vagyani said the Act does not specify when the meetings should be conducted.

He countered the allegations of the petitioner on lack of funds, stating the disaster management cell had disbursed large sums for recent disasters in the state.

Not satisfied with the replies, the Bombay high court said meetings could not be held on the whims of the members and should be a regular affair.

The bench sought minutes of the meetings held so far by the district authorities and said that if the state was unable to provide funds an alternative would have to be worked out.

The next hearing will be held on September 14.