Surat flood was a man-made disaster: PIL

Surat, Aug 24: A division bench of Gujarat High Court, comprising Chief Justice Y R Meena and justice D A Mehta has admitted a public interest litgation filed by Hoshang Mirza, a Congress member and Surat-based lawyer, alleging that the recent flood in Surat was a man-made disaster.

According to sources, the court has sent notice to the state government, superintendant engineer of Ukai dam, Surat district collector, Surat municipal commissioner and central water commission, on August 22.

The petition alleged that the administration had not taken any action, even though they knew that the water level in Ukai dam was consistently increasing since August 2.

The petitioner also alleged that the resque and relief operations of the administration were also inadeqate,the sources said.

The next hearing of the petition will be on September 18, the sources added.

UNI