Kerala High Court asks District Collector about status of flood mitigation work around HC building

The Kerala High Court on Monday asked the Ernakulam District Collector to inform the Court of the specific time frame within which the work to mitigate flooding near the High Court building can be carried out [Treasa KJ v. State of Kerala].Senior Government Pleader S Kannan informed Justice Devan Ramachandran that though administrative sanction was accorded for the work, it has not yet commenced. Kannan said that the funds sanctioned will now have to be surrendered or re-assigned. But the Court said that this was unacceptable and ordered that the funds should not be surrendered or re-appropriated if it had not been done as of 2.30 pm today. It also directed the District Collector to verify when the administrative or technical sanction for the work can be obtained and the time frame within which the work can be completed."I am afraid that this Court cannot accede to the afore suggestion of the learned Senior Government Pleader because, the suggested work for mitigation of flooding near the High Court is an essential work, which ought to have been completed within strict time frames. This again is a matter that the District Collector must look into and inform this Court," the Court said in its order. .The order was passed on a petition that was filed in the year 2018 regarding the blockage of the Perandoor canal within the Cochin Corporation resulting in the inundation of roads.Over the years, the Court has passed various orders in the case to control the management of the drains and other flood mitigating systems in the city on a regular basis.Considering the relentless rain that Kerala has witnessed this past week and the heavy rainfall alert that was issued for several districts, the Court took up the case today at the instance of all parties. The Court said that it will deal with the matter on a regular basis and that the directions issued today are only regarding the most vital aspects..Apart from the directions regarding flooding in front of the High Court, the Court issued the following directions:Ernakulam District Collector shall file a status report on the reconstruction of Mullassery canal indicating specific time frame for completing the work;Ernakulam District Collector shall consult with concerned authorities to ascertain why administrative sanction has not been accorded for the construction of a drainage canal from South Railway Station to the backwaters;Standing Counsel for the Corporation of Cochin shall get instructions as to whether sucker cum suction machines will be repaired on time to support the city's drainage system; andSenior Central Panel Counsel shall obtain instructions from the Railways to have the various railway culverts cleaned, jetted and restored..The matter will be taken up again on May 24. .[Read Order]