Kerala paying price of...: BJP leader on Wayanad landslides

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, August 1, 2024: BJP leader V Muraleedharan hit out at the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government over the recent landslides in Wayanad that claimed the lives of over 160 people and said that state was paying the price of the state government’s ’casual approach.’

This comes after Home Minister Amit Shah’s assertion in Parliament on Wednesday that the state was warned as early as July 23 about a potential natural calamity in Wayanad due to heavy rains.

Speaking to ANI on the Wayanad landslide incidents, BJP leader V Muraleedharan said, "Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha very specifically mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government stands with the people of Kerala like a rock and there can be no doubt about that."

"Amit Shah also said that had the Kerala government worked with alertness when the NDRF battalions landed, that would have saved a lot. He said that he doesn’t want to blame anyone, but at the same time, he put the facts before the house, saying that on July 23, 24, 25 and 26 of July, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued warnings and asked the state government to be prepared and initiate the evacuation of people, but the Kerala government didn’t heed the warning messages."

Adding further, he said, "Moreover, many agencies in the past have been alerted about the possibility of landslides in the area. In 2020, the Kerala disaster management authority warned that there was an impending tragedy and advised relocating 4,000 families," said Mr Muraleedharan.

"The village of Mundakkai, which has now been affected by the landslide, was identified as one of the 18 landslide-prone places in the district disaster management plan. But the state government did not pay heed to it and now Kerala is paying the price because of the casual approach of the state government," said Mr Muraleedharan.

"This area has been identified as an ecologically sensitive area. Despite that, there are more than 300 illegal construction projects in the area. No action has been taken to remove those," he added.

Meanwhile, the disaster sparked a heated exchange of words among political leaders.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan refuted Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s assertion in Parliament on Wednesday that the state was warned as early as July 23 about a potential natural calamity in Wayanad due to heavy rains.

"This is not the time to blame each other. However, reports from the Rajya Sabha indicate that the Union Home Minister claimed they had issued a warning, and Kerala did not respond appropriately," the Kerala Chief Minister said in a press conference.

Mr Vijayan stated that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had only issued an orange alert for the district prior to the landslides. However, Wayanad experienced over 500 millimetres of rainfall, far exceeding the IMD’s predictions.

After two massive landslides struck Wayanad, Kerala, on Tuesday morning, causing extensive destruction, rescue operations are being intensified, political leaders are engaged in discussions, and financial aid is being mobilised for the region.

The first landslide occurred in Mundakkai, a town, and the second in Chooralmala. The massive landslides wreaked havoc in the region, damaging houses and roads, uprooting trees, and swelling water bodies, which hindered rescue operations. Relief and rescue efforts are currently underway.

The landslides in Mundakkai and Chooralmala, Wayanad, have resulted in 167 confirmed deaths, as per the Kerala Revenue Department.

According to sources from the Department of Information and Public Relations (PRD) Control Room in Wayanad, 96 victims have been identified, including 77 men, 67 women, and 22 children. Post-mortem examinations have been conducted on 166 bodies and 49 body parts.

A total of 75 bodies have been handed over to relatives. Rescue personnel have brought 219 individuals to hospitals; 78 are still receiving treatment, while 142 have been moved to relief camps.

In Wayanad, 73 people are hospitalised, and five in Malappuram. Amid the rising death toll, the Indian Army has intensified its efforts to rescue people stranded after the landslides.

According to the Ministry of Defence, "The Army has set up a "Command and Control Centre" headed by Major General VT Mathew, General Officer Commanding, Karnataka and Kerala Sub Area, along with Brigadier Arjun Segan, at Kozhikode for coordinating HADR efforts."