CS GIVES DROUGHT HEARING A MISS

TS Chief Secretary skips hearing in SC on drought relief due to Prez’s visit

Chief secretaries of seven of the nine States summoned by the Supreme Court appeared in person to explain the steps taken by them on drought relief in particular the setting up of State Food Security Commissions as contemplated under the Food Security Act.

On March 22, taking serious view of non implementation of drou ght relief measures the apex Court had asked the chief secretaries of Telan gana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Karn ataka, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, Chhatt isgarh and Maharashtra to be personally present in the court on Wednesday.

While chief secretaries of AP, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Jharkhand were present, the chief secretaries of Karnataka and Telangana were not present.

A bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and N.V. Ramana was hearing senior counsel Prashant Bhushan for Swaraj Abhiyan contending that the 10 drought-affected States had not implemented the relief measures.

He had pointed out that the states had not set up the Food Security Commi ssions as required under the Food Security Act.

During the resumed hearing on Wednesday the bench was not satisfied with the progress made by the MP, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra for not fully constituting the Commission.

Observing that these States are not serious in putting in place the Commission, the Bench asked the chief secretaries to be present in July. As Commissions were set up in Gujarat, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Telangana, the court exempted their appearance on the next hearing.

Regarding Haryana, its CS told the court that the issue is pending in the High Court and hence he was also exempted.