Wayanad landslides: 308 dead; Centre blames Kerala government for tragedy

Kerala landslides: The authorities have set up 53 relief camps in Wayanad.

Union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav on Monday blamed “illegal mining activity and illegal human habitation” for the Wayanad tragedy. He claimed the illegal activities were underway under the tutelage of the Kerala government.

Over 300 have been killed in landslides in Wayanad (HT Photo)

"It is an illegal protection to the illegal human habitation by the local politicians. Even in the name of tourism, they are not making proper zones. They allowed the encroachment of this area. It is a highly sensitive area. We have already constituted a committee headed by former Director General of Forests Sanjay Kumar...There has been illegal human habitation and illegal mining activity in the protection of the local government," he told ANI.

“The Kerala government is responsible for the Wayanad landslides,” he added, per PTI.

The death toll in the Kerala landslides tragedy stood at 308 as the rescue and relief operations entered the seventh day, reported ANI.

The authorities have set up 53 relief camps in Wayanad. 6759 people -- including 2501 males, 2677 females, 1581 children, and 20 pregnant women -- have been shifted to these camps.

The state government has set up 16 camps in Meppadi and other gram panchayats. There are rescue camps at SDMLP school, D-Paul public school at Kalpetta, RCLP school at Chundel, GHS school near Rippon, WMO college at Muttil, Rippon new building, and Arappatta.

The landslides hit Chooralmala and Mundakkai of Wayanad on July 30, almost completely wiping out these areas.

The administration has found 220 bodies and several body parts. 180 people are still missing.

On Sunday night, the Wayanad administration carried out a mass burial of the bodies of the deceased.

Last week, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said there wasn't any hope of finding survivors.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister's Office has informed that night patrolling of the police was ordered in the affected areas.

The CMO statement warned that action would be taken against those trespassing in the houses or areas of the victims at night.