Kerala government unveils financial aid for victims in landslides-hit Wayanad
As part of the financial assistance, two adults in each family, who have lost their livelihoods, will be given ₹300 daily for 30 days.
The Kerala government on Friday announced financial assistance for those affected by the landslides in Wayanad who are currently housed at relief camps set up at government and aided schools in the district.
At least 226 people have died after landslides struck Chooralmala, Mundakkai and adjoining areas in Meppadi panchayat on July 30. A total of 403 incomplete body parts have been retrieved as well, a majority of which were unidentified and have been cremated in a mass burial site in Puthumala, five kilometres away from the landslide site.
As part of the financial assistance, two adults in each family, who have lost their livelihoods, will be given ₹300 daily for 30 days. Families, that have a member suffering from critical illness or undergoing long hospital care, will get the same assistance for three of its members. This form of assistance is aimed at supporting families that have lost their homes, property, personal wealth and all means of livelihood.
The statement from the chief minister’s office added that each family currently housed at relief camps will get an emergency assistance of ₹10,000 each.
The district collector has also been tasked with submitting a report to the state government on the temporary accommodations finalised for the survivors of the tragedy as part of the first phase of the rehabilitation plan. Once the report is submitted, the affected will be shifted to rented homes and government quarters soon so that classes can resume at the government and aided schools where they are currently located, officials said.
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The four-member ministerial sub-committee, overseeing relief operations in Wayanad, met the central team which visited the landslide-affected areas and relief camps and have asked for ₹2000 crore assistance from the Centre for reconstruction alone.
The demand is also expected to be made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will visit Wayanad on Saturday. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will accompany the PM during the visit.
The central team, which visited Wayanad on Friday under the leadership of Rajeev Kumar, joint secretary in the home ministry, assessed that the landslide has made a huge impact on the area and its inhabitants and requires an expert study to understand its causes. The ministerial committee, district collector DR Meghasree and officials of the state government explained the actions taken so far in the disaster zone including conduct of relief camps, autopsies of bodies, DNA examinations and listing those who have died and others currently missing to the central team, a statement said.
“The central team examined the drone footage of the disaster-affected areas from Mundakkai to Chooralmala. The central team was also informed that there has been heavy damage to various infrastructure sectors such as agricultural and commercial crops, livestock, houses, buildings, commercial and educational institutions, roads, electricity etc,” the CM’s office said.
The ministerial committee, comprised of ministers of public works, forests, revenue and SC/ST affairs, told reporters that cleaning works will begin as soon as the search operations are officially ended. Such cleaning works will take a minimum of 90 days across the three wards of the Meppadi panchayat which have been razed to a large extent by the landslide. The committee also said that ex-gratia relief, announced by the PM’s office, must be paid urgently to the kin of the victims.
There will be no search operations on Saturday due to the PM’s visit.