Wayanad landslides: NSS to volunteer building houses for 150 families, says Kerala Minister Bindu

Thrissur (Kerala) [India], August 2 (ANI): Kerala Higher Education Department Minister R Bindu said on Friday that the National Service Scheme will volunteer construction of houses for 150 families who lost their homes due to the recent landslides in Wayanad.

Speaking to reporters in Kerala’s Thrissur on Friday, Minister Bindu said that this will be one of the largest volunteering activities undertaken by the National Service Scheme, which has earlier set a new paradigm in the service sector by providing ‘love homes’ to homeless schoolmates.

Two massive landslides hit Wayanad’s Chooralmala and Mundakkai on July 30 creating widespread devastation, and loss of lives and property in the region.

She said that the construction of houses will be undertaken in coordination with various cells of the State National Service Scheme.

“NSS Units under NSS cells of Kerala Universities, Higher Secondary, Vocational Higher Secondary, Technical Education Department, ITI etc., NSS Ex Program Coordinators and State Officers will participate in this charity mission,” Minister Bindu said.

She also highlighted the involvement of NSS/NCC cadres in the relief operations on the day of the incident.

“Along with this, NSS will also undertake more long-term relief work in disaster areas. As part of this, NSS will provide expert counselling to the disaster victims to overcome the mental trauma they have experienced. NSS has also designed a ‘Back to School, Back to College’ campaign to focus on returning students as part of the overall efforts to bring back normal life in the disaster areas,” the Minister said.

Meanwhile, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said on Friday that post-mortem procedures of 199 bodies have been conducted so far in Wayanad. In a post on Facebook, Minister George said that additionally, DNA samples of 130 body parts were also taken.

She further said that ICUs are kept ready in hospitals in Wayanad to provide intensive care to those rescued from the disaster areas. Hospitals including Manjeri Medical College and Kozhikode Medical College, which can reached if airlifted, are also kept on standby.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army during the rescue operations in Wayanad found four persons alive in the rumble including two men and two women earlier in the day. According to the officials, the rescued individuals were stranded in the Padavetti Kunnu in Wayanad. The Army statement said that one of the rescued females was experiencing difficulties with her leg and was provided with necessary medical attention.

Brigadier Arjun Segan, Commandant of the Para Regimental Training Centre said that rescue operations are swiftly continuing with additional strength of sniffer dogs. Rescue Labrador dogs of the Indian Army named Jaki, Dixie and Sara have been tirelessly looking into the depths of debris and silt, where human hands and eyes falter, saving precious lives and recovering survivors.

“Now even the locals here are incorporated into search parties as they have more knowledge. Today is the 4th day of this rescue operation. Last evening by around 6 pm, we completed the bridge and were able to move vehicular movement upslope,” he said.

The rescue and relief operations coordinated by the Army, NDRF, SDRF and civil administration are underway at multiple locations, ensuring quick evacuation of stranded people, and provision of basic amenities and medical assistance.

The regional meteorological department has issued a yellow alert for five districts including Wayanad in Kerala for heavy rains. The alert has been issued for Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod.