The arterial roads that connect Mangaluru in Karnataka to Kasaragod in Kerala, are part of the National Highway network and it is therefore the duty of the Central Government to ensure that the said roads are kept free of blockades, observed the court.
“We, therefore, direct the Central Government to forthwith intervene in the
matter and ensure that the blockade erected by the State of Karnataka, on the National Highways connecting the said State to the State of Kerala, are removed forthwith, and without any further delay, so as to facilitate the free movement of vehicles carrying persons for urgent medical treatment, across the border between the two States.
We may re-iterate that we expect Central Government to act expeditiously in this matter, taking note of the human lives that are at stake”, the Court ordered.
The Court said that it had “no option but to pass the order” with a view to protect the fundamental rights of the people during the “grim period in our country’s history”. Any further delay in resolving the stalemate could be catastrophic for the residents of Kasargod District in Kerala, said the HC.
– Team Mysoorunews
