 "El nino, heatwave")
The Supreme Court emphasised the importance of amicably resolving differences within a federal structure while urging the Centre and Karnataka to find a solution to the state's drought worries, according to a report by The Hindu.
A Bench, comprising Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta, addressed Attorney General R Venkataramani for the Union and senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Karnataka, emphasising the equality of both Union and State governments as partners within the federal system.
This reminder from the apex court comes in the wake of recent disputes between states and the Centre, with several states resorting to legal action against the Union government. Tamil Nadu, for instance, accused the Centre of neglecting the state's needs by delaying the release of disaster relief funds, while Kerala filed a suit directly in the Supreme Court regarding interference in its borrowing limits.
Background on case
Karnataka had filed a petition with the court after failure to receive drought relief from the central government. The petition, highlighting the dire humanitarian crisis in the state, cited its request for financial assistance of Rs 18,171.44 crore under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) six months ago.
The state has suffered significant crop damage, with losses estimated at Rs 35,162.05 crore. This stemmed from severe drought conditions due to a substantial deficit in rainfall, which was the third lowest the state had witnessed in the last 122 years.
The state argued that the Centre's failure to provide assistance violated fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution, including the right to equality and the right to life. Despite the submission of drought relief memoranda and assessment reports, the Centre has yet to take decisive action.
Karnataka urged the Supreme Court to intervene, emphasising the Centre's obligations under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and relevant guidelines for disaster relief. The state highlighted the urgency of the situation, urging prompt action to alleviate its people's suffering.
More From This Section
The state submitted memoranda for drought relief, which included Rs 4,663.12 crore for crop loss input subsidy, Rs 12,577.9 crore for gratuitous relief to families affected by drought, Rs 566.78 crore to address the shortage of drinking water, and Rs 363.68 crore for cattle care.
Centre engaging in a 'contest' with Karnataka
In the previous hearing on April 8, the Supreme Court questioned the Centre's approach in engaging in a "contest" with drought-stricken Karnataka over relief aid. Justice Gavai emphasised the need to avoid such contests, noting the increasing trend of state governments resorting to legal proceedings.
Centre cited the ongoing Lok Sabha elections as a reason for the delay during the hearing on Monday. The Karnataka government expressed willingness to wait for a week to address its drought relief concerns.
