The Madras High Court has directed the Union and Tamil Nadu governments to place on record details of the steps being taken to trace 85 people from Tamil Nadu who remain unreachable after floods in Nepal.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan passed the direction while hearing a public interest litigation filed by advocate A F Parvesh Mushraf.
Background of the Case
The Court was informed that 305 people from Tamil Nadu had travelled to Nepal, most of them for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Of them, 220 had been traced and confirmed safe, while the whereabouts of 85 remained unknown.
The petition sought coordinated action by the Centre, Tamil Nadu Government, Indian Embassy and other authorities to trace and rescue the remaining pilgrims.
The plea also raised concerns over the absence of a verified, person-wise account of those who had been rescued, hospitalised or remained unaccounted for.
The State Government told the Bench that officials from Tamil Nadu House were stationed in Kathmandu and coordinating with the Indian Embassy, Nepalese authorities and relatives of the pilgrims. Families of some untraceable persons were also offered assistance to travel to Nepal.
The State further informed the Court that 21 of 57 pilgrims who had travelled through Kumbakonam-based Super Yatra had been rescued and brought back. Contact, however, had not been established with 49 people who travelled through Chennai-based Mahadev Kailash Yatra.
The petitioner's concern was that families should not have to rely merely on media reports to determine whether their relatives were safe.
The Bench directed the Tamil Nadu Government to file a formal status report detailing the measures already taken and the rescue operations underway. The Union Government was also permitted to place its response on record.
The matter was directed to be listed again after eight days.
