DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand HC has raised questions over the state government’s decision not to make reports prepared by eight central scientific and technical institutions on the
Joshimath
subsidence public.
Commenting on the matter, a division bench of Chief Justice
Vipin Sanghi
and Justice Alok Kumar
Verma
said in a court order, “We see no reason that the state should keep the reports prepared by the experts secret and not disclose the same to the public at large.”
It added, “In fact, circulation of the said reports would provide vital information to the public, and the public would have confidence that the state is serious about dealing with the situation.”
The judges were hearing a recall application filed by the state government over the personal appearance of the chief secretary in the matter on September 22. They allowed the chief secretary exemption from personal appearance. Notably, during the course of the hearing, copies of the reports had been placed in a sealed cover by the state government for the consideration of the court.
The petitioner’s lawyer,
Snigdha Tiwari
, told TOI that “the court has never in the past passed any orders in this case wherein it has directed the state to bring reports of any of the experts or institutions in sealed cover.”
