New Delhi, July 22: In response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the recent landslide in Shirur village, Karnataka, where a Kerala truck driver named Arjun has been trapped since July 16, the Supreme Court has advised the petitioner to approach the Karnataka High Court in Bangalore for urgent intervention.
The Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P.B. Varale granted liberty to the petitioner, Advocate Subhash Chandran KR, to request the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court to prioritise the matter. “Upon such a request being made, we expect the chief justice would take an appropriate decision forthwith,” the Bench stated.
The PIL sought immediate deployment of the Army for rescue operations, highlighting that local authorities were working with limited resources only during office hours. The petitioner emphasised that despite the proximity of an Army cantonment in Belgaum and Naval resources in Karwar, no significant efforts had been made to mobilise these forces.
The petition also called for round-the-clock debris clearance using scientific methods to locate stranded individuals and vehicles. However, the Supreme Court questioned why the petitioner had not initially approached the Karnataka High Court, noting that it would be more practical and efficient to handle the matter locally.
Senior Advocate V. Chitambaresh, representing the petitioner, stressed the urgency of the situation. The Court, while acknowledging the seriousness, suggested that the High Court could prioritise the issue either through an application or on a suo motu basis.
Despite recognising the urgency, the Supreme Court declined to entertain the Article 32 petition, directing the petitioner to seek immediate listing of the matter before the Karnataka High Court’s Chief Justice. “We are not inclined to entertain this A32 petition. It is opened for the petitioner to forthwith approach the Karnataka High Court, at Bangalore and make a request before Chief Justice for immediate listing of the matter,” the order read.
Background:
On July 16, a severe landslide occurred in Shirur village along National Highway 66 in Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka, due to heavy rainfall. The landslide caused mud to slide from the hills across the highway toward the Gangavali River, burying several vehicles and a local establishment under the debris.
Local residents reported that at least one truck and three cars remain trapped under the landslide debris. Initial rescue efforts by authorities involved path-clearing with limited manpower and equipment, disregarding the gravity of the situation. A truck traveling from Karnataka to Kerala went missing, with its last GPS location identified at the landslide site.
