The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking directions to reduce the impact of earthquakes in India, remarking humorously whether the court was expected to “resettle everyone on the moon.” The petition argued that nearly 75 percent of India’s population lives in high seismic zones and asked the court to intervene to minimize potential damage from future quakes.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta heard the matter. The petitioner claimed earlier assessments suggested only Delhi was in a high-risk seismic zone, but recent data indicates that most of India falls within such zones. Responding to this, the bench asked, “So, should we resettle everyone on the moon or somewhere else?”

When the petitioner referenced Japan’s recent major earthquake to draw parallels, the bench replied, “First, we need volcanoes in this country before we can compare ourselves to Japan.”

Hearing Concluded, Petition Dismissed
The petitioner argued that authorities must create mechanisms to reduce destruction during earthquakes. The bench, however, stressed that such measures fall squarely within the government’s policy domain and cannot be directed by the court. “This is the government’s responsibility; the court cannot handle it. The petition is dismissed,” the judges said.

Despite several attempts by the petitioner to continue presenting arguments, the bench firmly stated, “The hearing on your petition has been completed. It is now dismissed.”

Government Should Address Policy Issues
At the outset, the petitioner insisted that new information justified judicial intervention. The court reiterated that these concerns must be addressed by the government, not the judiciary. When the petitioner cited media reports, the bench remarked, “These are newspaper reports. We have nothing to do with them.”

After the dismissal, the petitioner exited the courtroom.