IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE THOTTATHIL B.RADHAKRISHNAN & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.S.GOPINATHAN THURSDAY, THE 18TH FEBRUARY 2010 / 29TH MAGHA 1931 DBP.No. 12 of 2010() -------------------- (In the matter of Travancore Devaswom Board - Financial help to the families of the victims of Kanamala accident - TDB Report No.32/2010 of Ombudsman - suo motu proceedings initiated) PARTIES: --------- 1. THE SECRETARY, TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM BOARD, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. THE STATE OF KERALA REP. BY ITS CHIEF SECRETARY, GOVT. SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 3. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, LOCAL FUND AUDIT, TRAVANCORE DEVASWOM AUDIT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. R1 BY SRI.K.N.VENUGOPALA PANICKER,SC TDB R2 BY SR. GOVT. PLEADER SRI.LAKSHMI NARAYANAN SRI.KRISHNA KUMAR MANGOT AMICUS CURIE FOR OMBUDSMAN THIS DEVASWOM BOARD PETITION HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 18/02/2010, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: THOTTATHIL B.RADHAKRISHNAN, & P.S.GOPINATHAN, JJ. ------------------------------------------- D.B.P.No.12 OF 2010 ------------------------------------------- Dated this the 18th day of February, 2010 O R D E R Thottathil B.Radhakrishnan, J. Having considered the matter, we are in complete agreement with the views of the learned Ombudsman. Therefore, we hereby direct that the Travancore Devaswom Board will act only in conformity with the findings of the learned Ombudsman. The TDB, as a matter of fact, always plead non- availability of funds. They have taken an insurance cover. Beyond that, as stated by the learned Ombudsman, if the Board wants to honour the request of the Government, it is up to the Board to do so. But that shall not be done without prior approval of this Court. This report is hence closed. Sd/- THOTTATHIL B.RADHAKRISHNAN, Judge. Sd/- P.S.GOPINATHAN, Judge. kkb.18/02.