SC declines hearing on PIL for repair of Kosi river embankment

New Delhi, Sep 2 (UNI) The Supreme Court today declined to hear a PIL seeking directions to the Union government to take up the matter regarding the repairing and strengthening of the embankment of Kosi river, located in the territory of Nepal.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrisnan and Justices P Sathasivam and J M Panchal asked the counsel for the petitioners ''Can this court do anything in the matter? The government is already taking all necessary steps for the relief and rescue of those marooned in the floods in Bihar.'' Praveen Chandra and Sanjay Kumar Vidyarthi in their petition have also prayed to the apex court to issue a writ of mandamus to the government to take appropriate measures to ensure that the problem does not occur in future.

The petitioners have also expressed dissatisfaction with the efforts of the state as well as the Union government in helping out millions of people marooned and uprooted due to the worst flood situation that has occurred, submerging 13 districts of Bihar.

The state was hit by floods on August 18 when the Kosi embankment situated in Nepal was breached.

The apex court will, however, hear the petition on September 15 along with another petition already pending in the court.

Around 26.68 lakh people are entrapped in the flood and over 20 lakh people are still waiting to be evacuated to safer places. The Army has already taken over the relief and rescue work in the state.

UNI SC RJ RP AS1653