NE LEGAL BUREAU
KOCHI, MARCH 31
The Karnataka government has informed the Kerala High Court on Tuesday that it was willing to open two roads connecting both states, which it had closed following the COVID-19 outbreak.
This followed a request from the bench to the Advocate General of Karnataka on Monday, seeking the government’s views on the matter Joining the hearing conducted by Kerala High Court Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Shaji P Chali via video conferencing, the AG said Karnataka was ready to open two roads connecting the state with Kerala’s Kannur and Wayanad districts to facilitate movement of essential goods.
During the hearing, the High Court directed both states to inform it about the easiest way connecting Kerala’s Kasaragod and Mangalore in Karnataka to facilitate movement of people from Kasaragod seeking treatment in hospitals in Mangalore.
The Karnataka government had closed the roads connecting its border with Kasaragod in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the north Kerala district.
When the judges suggested opening of Kottupuzha (Kannur district)-Virajapett (Karanataka) road facilitating movement of essential goods through the road, the AG said the matter would be considered if the Kannur district Collector moved an application to the Home Secretary of his state. The High Court then adjourned the matter to Wednesday.
The Kerala High Court on Monday had sought the views of the Advocate General of Karnataka on the issue of that government blocking its borders with Kerala in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Considering a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Kerala High Court Advocates Association, seeking a direction for opening the roads, the Court had orally observed that the blockades put up by erecting embankments on the inter-state roads would affect the people’s right to life.
The Karnataka government blocked the state highway to prevent movement of vehicles carrying essential goods and people seeking emergency treatment at hospitals in the city of Mangalore bordering Kasargode, one of the worst COVID-19- affected district of Kerala.
The Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also wrote to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter and also spoke to him over phone to resolve the issue.
