Compensation for flood-hit houses: Only 5 per cent appeals allowed, Kerala HC told

KOCHI: Of the 34,768 appeals challenging compensation granted for fully-damaged houses in the floods last year, only 2,013, or 5.8 per cent, were allowed, state government has informed the Kerala High Court.
A total of 34,227 appeals, or 98.4 per cent, were settled, the court was told by the government. Among partially-damaged houses, 1,02,479 persons filed appeals. Of this, 19,758, or 19.28 per cent, appeals were allowed whereas 1,01,891 appeals were settled, the court was told.
A total of 2,54,597 houses were partially damaged (15 to 74 per cent damage) and relief was paid for 2,40,894. This includes compensations for partially-damaged houses that were allowed in appeal stage. Number of houses that suffered partial damage upto 15 per cent was 1,30,168 and relief was paid to 1,25,426, a report filed by the government said.
Last date for filing appeal was extended upto January 31st this year, from December 31st last year, in view of the high court’s order but applications were received by appellate authorities even after the cut-off date. They were not considered in view of the extended limit fixed by the high court, government said.
"However, in many of the districts like Alappuzha the appeal received belatedly were transmitted the concerned Panchayat for the reports, though received after the time limit. In some of the district like Ernakulam the appeals received belatedly were not opened but were kept safely. In view of Government order as per GO(MS)16/2019 dated 21.6.2019 the last date for filing appeal was extended upto 30.6.2019," government’s report to the court stated.
Number of fully-damaged houses, including those allowed in appeal, is 15,324 whereas the number of houses of which construction was completed stands at 5,448. This includes 3,523 houses completed under self-construction mode and 1,469 houses constructed under Care Homes scheme, as per the government’s report.
A total of 237.48 crore was paid under self-construction scheme. Number of families who agreed to rebuilt on their own stands at 10,426. A total of 9,960 families were paid an initial amount of Rs1 lakh each for self-reconstruction. Second-stage payment was made to 6,878 families whereas third-stage payment was received by 4,438 families, the court was told.
On Wednesday, a bench led by chief justice Hrishikesh Roy asked the government to inform the public that status of their applications seeking compensation related to the floods are available on the websites of district collectors. At the hearing, government submitted that media reports about pendency of compensation appeals are not true.