Kerala govt to provide assistance to people affected by landslides in Wayanad

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], August 9 (ANI): Kerala state government will provide immediate assistance to those affected by the landslide in Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas of Wayanad district, helping them relocate to another place, according to an official press release from Kerala CMO.

All those affected in Mundakkai and Chooralmala areas will receive this assistance. An adult member from families who have lost their livelihood will receive a daily allowance of Rs. 300. This benefit will be available for up to two individuals per family. For families with bedridden or long-term hospitalized patients, the allowance will be extended to three individuals. This assistance will be provided for a duration of 30 days.

Each family currently staying in relief camps will receive immediate financial assistance of Rs. 10,000.

The government has requested a report from the Collector to determine if alternative accommodation can be provided in government or public ownership for those returning from camps in Mundakkai and Chooralmala. Once the Collector’s report is received, rental assistance will be arranged accordingly.

Meanwhile, search and rescue operations continue in the areas affected by Wayanad landslides that occurred on July 30, claiming 225 lives and displacing thousands of people. Congress MLA and KPCC General Secretary T Siddique said that the main demand of the people who have been staying in the relief camps was that the rescue and the search operation must be carried out with their help as they know exactly where the incident happened.

“…The main demand of people staying in relief camps was that the rescue operation should be conducted along with them as they knew where the incident happened…We demanded from the cabinet committee that the recovery process should be done with the help of local people…Now, the rescue operation is being conducted with the help of local people…” Siddique added.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit landslide-affected sites in Wayanad on August 10 and the area will be handed over to the Special Protection Group (SPG).

In a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the state has requested the central government to declare this as a national disaster and a severe calamity.