In Brief
A public interest petition challenged the refusal of Bihar, Gujarat, and Haryana to declare droughts despite evidence of drought-like conditions. The petitioner sought directions to declare droughts and provide relief to affected populations under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the NREGA Act, and the National Food Security Act. The Court held that while State Governments have authority to declare droughts, the Union of India cannot abdicate responsibility under the Disaster Management Act by invoking federalism. Evidence from rainfall data, satellite imagery, and moisture indices from reputed government agencies showed drought conditions in multiple districts. The Court directed the Union to establish the National Disaster Response Force and Mitigation Fund, formulate a National Plan, and revise the Drought Manual with standardized timelines and indicators by December 2016, and directed the Secretary of Agriculture to persuade the three States to declare droughts where warranted.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.