NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday severely criticised the Union government for treating court orders with disdain while pointing out that the Centre had taken no action on its order on September 19 last year seeking guidelines on disaster management to make schools safer.
A petition by Avinash Mehrotra had resulted in the SC issuing several orders on safety of school children after the Dabwali fire incident in Haryana and the Kumbakonam tragedy in Tamil Nadu, both involving death of many school children.
The court had on September 19 last year directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to prepare comprehensive guidelines to prevent such incidents and measures for safety of school children. The Centre had sought four weeks to place on record the guidelines.
On Monday, a bench of Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud was livid when it found that the Centre had nothing to report in response to the September 19 order.
Finding additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta struggling on account of absence of instructions from the government, the bench said, "The government is taking it very casually. You had said you will frame the guidelines in four weeks and now after 10 months you have nothing to report. The government does not care about the Supreme Court’s orders. No one is bothered."
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