Not just rain, man-made lapses: Kerala HC orders action on Kuttanad school flooding

The Kerala High Court has directed the state government to take action to address the recurring waterlogging at a school in the Kuttanad region of Alappuzha, one of the state’s most flood-prone areas. The move came after a suo motu public interest litigation was registered based on a letter from teachers and students of SNDP Higher Secondary School, Kuttamangalam in Kainakary, who complained that their classrooms were repeatedly inundated, disrupting studies.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji asked the Chief Engineer of the Kuttanad Package and Inland Navigation to conduct a detailed study and submit both preliminary and final reports. The court noted that while Kuttanad’s unique topography, paddy fields lying below sea level, makes it vulnerable during the monsoon, man-made factors such as breaches in agricultural bunds have aggravated the problem.

“Excessive rainfall cannot be blamed entirely. Breaches of bunds and other human interventions may also have worsened the situation. Long-term measures are needed, preceded by a comprehensive study,” the court observed.

Three key directions
The judgment issued directions on three fronts:

• Flooding of school: The grievances of the school were referred to an ad hoc committee formed by the Alappuzha District Collector. The committee will continue until the issue is resolved, and the Collector was asked to adopt the same approach for other institutions if needed.
• Statutory action under irrigation law: Referring to the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation Act, 2003 and Rules of 2005, the Bench asked the Collector and Punja Special Officer to ensure Padasekharam Committees carry out their statutory responsibilities, including preparing annual action plans. The court also noted that repairs to breached bunds often require immediate cash, which many committees lack.
• Long-term solutions: The Chief Engineer was asked to submit a preliminary report within four months. The court said the state government must provide logistical support for the study and act on its recommendations.

The school, located on the outer bund of Paruthivalavu paddy fields, was flooded in May 2025 after heavy rain collapsed the bunds. Despite requests from the local Padasekharam Committee, no action was taken. Following the court’s intervention, the Collector convened a meeting of stakeholders and established an ad hoc committee to implement relief measures.

The Bench said the Collector must also conduct an inquiry into the collapse of bunds at Paruthivalavu and ensure compliance with statutory requirements. Disposing of the case, the court stressed that “expert intervention is essential to devise long-term solutions” to prevent future inundation in Kuttanad.
(With LiveLaw inputs.)