The Madras High Court has directed the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government to place on record detailed status reports on the measures being undertaken to locate 85 people from the State who remain untraceable following the devastating floods and landslides in Nepal.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan passed the directions while hearing a public interest litigation seeking urgent intervention for Tamil Nadu pilgrims caught in the disaster.
The PIL was filed by advocate AF Parvesh Mushraf, who urged the authorities to ascertain the whereabouts of every pilgrim from Tamil Nadu affected by the floods, facilitate rescue operations and ensure their safe return to India.
The Court was informed that 305 people from Tamil Nadu had travelled to Nepal, with a substantial number undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. Of these, 220 persons have been traced and their safety confirmed, while the whereabouts of 85 others remain unknown.
The Tamil Nadu government told the Court that it has been coordinating with the Union government and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu to locate those who remain untraceable. It further submitted that assistance had been offered to families of missing pilgrims who wish to travel to Kathmandu to assist in efforts to locate their relatives.
The Bench directed the State to submit a comprehensive account of the steps taken so far, including details of ongoing rescue and tracing operations. The Centre has also been permitted to place its response before the Court.
The matter has been posted after eight days for further consideration.
During the hearing, the State placed before the Court details of the rescue and repatriation efforts undertaken to date. It informed the Bench that 21 of the 57 pilgrims who had travelled through a Kumbakonam-based travel operator had been rescued and brought back to India.
Tamil Nadu officials stationed at Tamil Nadu House in Kathmandu are coordinating with the Indian Embassy, Nepalese authorities and relatives of the missing pilgrims, the Court was informed.
The State further submitted that several rescued groups had reached New Delhi before returning to their respective hometowns. The government said it had made arrangements for food, refreshments and air travel for those rescued.
However, the authorities continue to face difficulty in establishing contact with 49 persons who had travelled through a Chennai-based travel agency, Mahadev Kailash Yatra. The government said efforts were continuing through the Indian Embassy to establish their whereabouts.
The case has assumed particular significance within the legal fraternity as former Madras High Court judge Justice V Sivagnanam is among the Tamil Nadu pilgrims reported to be untraceable in Nepal.
Justice Sivagnanam has reportedly not been in contact with his family since August 26, when he last spoke to his wife. The Delhi Tamil Advocates Association and Madras Bar Association have separately sought urgent intervention from the Union government and the Chief Justice of India to intensify efforts to trace him.
The Court, however, was not informed whether Justice Sivagnanam is included in the figure of 85 persons whose whereabouts remain unknown.
The devastating floods and landslides have severely disrupted roads and communication networks in the affected region, complicating search and rescue operations. Tamil Nadu authorities have said that coordination with Nepalese agencies and Indian diplomatic officials remains central to the ongoing efforts.
The High Court’s intervention comes against the backdrop of mounting concern among families awaiting information about their relatives. The status reports sought by the Bench are expected to provide a clearer account of the rescue operations, coordination between the Union and State authorities and the steps being taken to trace those still unaccounted for.
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