Kochi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought a report on the measures taken by the Kerala government to avoid floods during monsoons in the state.
The NGT has ordered the State to apprise it on whether measures such as fixing the buffer zone and full tank level of rivers and water bodies have been taken.
The report should be submitted by the Irrigation, Environment and Public Works Department by June 30.
If no steps have been taken yet, the Tribunal bench comprising Justice K Ramakrishnan and Dr K Satyagopal, directed the government to inform it about the proposed action.
The Chennai Bench of the Tribunal issued the order on a petition submitted by Kollam native Muneer, seeking to regulate commercial and construction activities along the coasts and to declare buffer zones to protect water bodies from pollution and encroachments.
Though the Supreme Court had directed States to take measures such as determining the storage limit of reservoirs, most have not done so, the Tribunal pointed out.
Allowing constructions that obstruct the flow of water during the monsoon would increase the severity of flood disasters. Not only to those who carried out unlawful constructions, but these would cause huge financial liabilities even to the governments, the Tribunal added.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the monsoon is likely to be normal this year.
