Bombay HC to State: Give information about region wise rainfall

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Wednesday directed the state to inform on July 18, about the amount of rainfall received up till then, region wise. The HC was hearing a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) on people displaced due to drought and another PIL filed by Dr Sanjay LakhePatil on the plight of such displaced persons.
A bench of Justices V M Kanade and M S Sonak took on record suggestions made by amicus curiae (friend of court) advocate Sujay Kantawala who said that many big land owners across the state, especially Palghar and Boisar, could gainfully employ such displaced persons.“There is a dearth of labour in these places and families of people displaced due to drought can be settled.’’ lakhePatil had sought a proper disaster management plan for drought hit areas as he said people had come to Mumbai for work and relief. BMC counsel Anil Sakhare said that most displaced people had returned to their villages since rain has begun, as which the judges wanted to know where and how much rainfall did the state get so far.
Kantawala said the PIL can be kept pending as "no knee jerk reaction would solve what is only a recurring problem.'' He said a comprehensive plan is required and a committee can be set up to identify areas where farm labour is in demand by private farm house and land owners, including himself, and the people from 28 drought hit districts can be relocated and given similar farm related employment which they are well verse with in districts, other than urban centres like Mumbai, Navi Mumbai which are also far flung for them. The HC will hear the PIL and other connected matters on July 18 now.