Tuesday, February 1 2005 19:38 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kochi: The Kerala High Court today (Feb 1, 2005) directed the Centre and Kerala Government to file affidavits within two months on the steps taken by them to rehabilitate tsunami victims.

The direction was issued by a division bench, comprising chief justice B Subashan Reddy and justice A K Basheer, on a PIL filed by two petitioners, including A James Fernandes, president of the Latin Catholic Aikya Vedi, Thiruvananthapuram, seeking to provide immediate and effective rehabilitation of those affected by tsunami.

They alleged that the Centre and Kerala Governments had accumulated large funds to the tune of several crores by way of collections from public through institutes, organisations, media, political parties and world organisations like UN.

It is understood from reports that the Government had diverted the funds without utilising the same for those who were devastated by the killer waves, they stated.

The State and Centre are now proposing to construct sea walls along the coast, without calling for scientific report, utilising the funds for rehabilitation of the affected people, petitioners submitted.