The HC of Kerala while hearing a plea regarding opening up of road routes for transportation of essential commodities owing to blockade imposed by Karnataka on the national Highway to Kerala has directed both the State Governments to resolve their dispute by 5.30 PM today.
The Division bench consisiting of Justice A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Shaji P Chaly adjourned the matter after it was informed that a meeting will be convened by the Ministry of Home Affairs with the Chief Secretaries of both the states in order to resolve the disputes.
The Advocate General of Karnataka had informed the Court yesterday that “the route from Kannur – Iritty – Mananthavady – Sargur – Begur – Nanjangud – Mysore and Kannur – Sulthan Bathery – Gundlupetes – Mysore have already been opened up for the said transportation, and will continue to be maintained as such through the lockdown period. As regards the third route between Kannur – Iritty – Koottupuzha – Mangoor – Virajpet, it was suggested by Sri.Ranjith Thampan that the State of Karnataka could consider the possibility of opening up of the said route also for transportation of essential commodities.”
The learned Advocate General further submitted that “if an appropriate letter is sent by the authorities in Kerala to the Secretary, Home Department of the Government of Karnataka, then the matter can be considered by the said authority.”
In pursuance of the submissions made by the Advocate General, the bench had directed the District Collector, Kannur to immediately send a communication to the Secretary, Home Department, Karnataka to consider the issue and the same was listed for hearing today at 1.45 PM.
While the hearing commenced through video conferencing the Advocate General of Karnataka while replying to the Courts directions yesterday to consider on what could be done for catering to the medical needs for patients in Kasaragod district based on the proximity of the hospital concerned to the residents in the said district, said that the hospital was already burdened with patients from Karnataka and that the petitioners should have approached the Kerala government for treatment of its patients.
The bench interjecting the AG said that “we are not talking about two different countries here” and said that when life of people of Kerala are endangered then in such a situation why can’t the state of Karnataka have jurisdiction over people of Kerala. The bench further said that it cannot postpone the matter for another day and directed both the governments to resolve their issue on humanitarian grounds.
-India Legal Bureau