HC asks Maha govt about steps taken to tackle drought

The Bombay High Court has sought to know from the Maharashtra government what measures it proposes to tackle "serious" issues like the drought in the state. A vacation bench of Justices Ajey Gadkari and N J Jamadar was hearing a petition filed by activist Sanjay Lakhe Patil, seeking setting up of independent disaster management committees in each district of the state.

Patil sought for implementation of the 2016 disaster management guidelines which listed several measures to be undertaken by the state government to tackle natural calamities and disasters, including drought. When the petition was heard on Monday, Patil produced records before the court to show that water levels in dams and other resources had gone down in the state's Vidarbha and Marathwada regions.

"The issue is serious. We want some lawyer from the state government to inform us what measures the government proposes to take (to tackle the issue)," the court said. The bench then posted the petition for further hearing on May 20.