Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan slams Union environment minister for ‘false allegations’ on Wayanad landslides
Bhupender Yadav said that the Kerala government permitted “illegal human habitat expansion and mining” in the state's ecologically fragile regions.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticised Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday for making “false allegations” regarding the recent Wayanad landslides, which resulted in over 300 deaths, blaming the state's policies.
Vijayan accused the Union minister of disrespecting the victims of the landslides with his remarks made the previous day.
On Monday, Bhupender Yadav said that the Kerala government permitted “illegal human habitat expansion and mining” in the state's ecologically fragile regions, leading to catastrophic landslides in the Wayanad district. He had also criticised the state government for “neglecting” crucial environmental factors such as soil topography, rock conditions, geomorphology, mountain slopes, and vegetation structure while permitting human habitations.
“An episode of extreme rain led to the incident,” he added.
Criticising Yadav's statements, Vijayan said at a press conference that anyone with even a basic understanding of Kerala's hilly regions would not label the inhabitants as illegal migrants.
Vijayan also mentioned that Yadav's remarks support news reports alleging that the Press Information Bureau and the central government were attempting to rally people, including scientists, against the Kerala government.
Kerala minister P Rajeev asserted that the Union ministry of environment was involved in a “conspiracy” to blame the state's policies for the Wayanad landslides by encouraging anti-Kerala articles from scientists.
Wayanad landslides: Kerala CM says ‘will ensure world-class rehabilitation’
Chief minister Vijayan on Tuesday, speaking about the rehabilitation of landslide-affected people, said, “We will ensure world-class rehabilitation. Our goal is to implement a resettlement model that can serve as an example for the nation and the world.”
The Kerala government announced on Tuesday that it would soon release a complete list of people who went missing after the massive landslides in Wayanad district on July 30.
Kerala general education and labour minister V Sivankutty said that classes will soon resume in the schools in landslide-affected Wayanad, which are currently being used as relief camps. Additionally, financial assistance will be provided to workers affected by the disaster.
“44 bodies and 176 body parts have been buried in the last two days. Two body parts were found in today's search. Currently, 648 families and 2,225 people are staying in 17 camps in the Chooranmala area. Classes for students from two affected schools will be relocated to two schools in Meppadi. KSRTC will provide special bus services for them, and special counselling will be offered to students. So far, 152 missing persons cases have been registered," Kerala minister K Rajan said.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)