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India Today
01-08-2025
- Politics
- India Today
A year since landslides, why grief, grievance overwhelm Wayanad
A year has passed since Kerala's scenic Wayanad suffered death and devastation in a midnight landslide tragedy and was assured quick and long-term rehabilitation. On the first anniversary on July 30, the relief promised to the affected village communities still looked impressive, but largely on official scale of the calamity, which has claimed 298 lives, is epic. The Mundakkai, Attamala and Chooralmala wards of Meppadi panchayat in this Western Ghats district were washed away. Ten villagers in Mundakkai lost their entire families. These wards now have no inhabitants and are frequented by wild animals from the surrounding 600 hectares of agricultural land were gone in the landslides and flash floods. Some 30 resorts and homestays shut down. Lives were uprooted as the state government declared villages 'no-go' zones based on the recommendations of an expert committee, headed by Dr John Mathai, former scientist at the National Centre for Earth Science Studies, government proposed a model village, comprising 410 houses, at Elstone Estate in Kalpetta, the district headquarters of Wayanad, by December 2025 to resettle the survivors. Around 250 beneficiaries were enlisted for 1,000 sq feet homes, but even construction of the first model home is yet to be completed. 'We are striving to provide quality housing to the families of the victims. But legal cases filed by the estate owners against land acquisition have delayed construction,' revenue minister K. Rajan told INDIA the other relief measures, he said: 'Of the 298 people dead, the government provided the families of 220 victims Rs 6 lakh each as emergency relief. Since August 2024, the district administration has been paying for rented accommodations for 795 affected families. Besides, a monthly aid of Rs 18,000 is being distributed to each family that lost livelihood,' Rajan the ground, though, survivors complain of bureaucratic red-tape and lack of empathy. Sudevan Kollankoottil, 56, lost his mother, elder brother, his wife and two sons in the landslides. Their ancestral home in Mundakkai was lost in the tragedy. Kollankoottil has been informed by the administration that he won't be entitled to rehabilitation housing in the model village. Reason: the house in Mundakkai was in the name of his deceased brother.'I'm a daily wager. We lived as a joint family. The government listed me as a survivor who lost all family members and sanctioned Rs 6 lakh as compensation, but not a house for resettlement,' said Kollankoottil, now unemployed.'I've made several petitions to the district administration as well as the chief Minister. Officials are denying me a house on technical grounds. Had I died in the landslide, my wife and children would have got a house,' he isn't the only one left out. According to Shajimon Chooralmala, convener of the Janashabdam (people's voice) Action Committee, around 10 deserving families in Attamala and 60 in Mundakkai were excluded from the list of housing beneficiaries. 'When the government earmarked the 'no-go' zone, officials excluded many people who lived nearby or had roads to their homes falling within the zone. This was on the grounds that these houses weren't completely damaged in the landslides. Now, if these survivors cannot use the roads in the 'no-go' zone, how are they supposed to survive in their isolated houses?' asked Chooralmala.A senior state official, who did not wish to be named, conceded that the rehabilitation work had lagged. 'The government had the best intensions to ensure quality rehousing and early rehabilitation for the victims' families. But it was derailed by unexpected delays in land acquisition, lack of central government assistance, delay in finalising the beneficiary list and poor coordination between departments,' the official minister Pinarayi Vijayan has directed the Wayanad administration to take immediate steps to speed up the rehabilitation projects. He reviewed the progress last week. The Vijayan government, in the past, drew praise for efficient management of two consecutive mega floods in the state and the Covid pandemic. Wayanad waits to see a similar response, failing which the ruling Left Democratic Front could be up for some serious electoral setback in the to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
30-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Perandoor-Vaduthala bridge project receives revised administrative sanction of Rs 34.24 crore
Kochi: The much-awaited Perandoor-Vaduthala bridge project received a revised administrative sanction of Rs 34.24 crore. The bridge across Perandoor backwater area is expected to improve connectivity between Vaduthala and Elamakkara. Earlier, govt granted administrative approval of Rs 32.5 crore for the project. Ernakulam MLA T J Vinod informed that the amount has now been revised and govt has granted administrative sanction for the project with increased cost. Revision of the rate became necessary after Delhi Schedule of Rates in 2018 was revised. A CRZ study is being conducted by National Centre for Earth Science Studies in Akkulam, ahead of implementation of the project. The report will be submitted for approval from Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA). Vinod stated that the project was submitted for technical sanction and tender process can be initiated only after receiving KCZMA approval and technical sanction. Out of the currently allocated funds, Rs 10 lakh is the share to be paid to KCZMA. Revised alignment of the bridge was approved by govt in Oct 2023. As per the new alignment, approach road would be linked to Chinmaya Cross Road. For approach road construction, 33.44 cents and 56 cents would be acquired in Perandoor and Vaduthala regions, respectively.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Govt sets up panels to oversee wreckage effect
Thiruvananthapuram: Following the decision to declare MSC ELSA 3 sinking just 14.6 nautical miles off Kochi coast as state-specific disaster, a comprehensive multi-tiered institutional mechanism was set in motion to address and mitigate the wreckage consequences. The decision was made considering its potentially grave environmental, social and economic impact. Govt designated secretary, department of science and technology, as principal advisor to the environment department. Kerala state disaster management authority (KSDMA) member is working in association with special secretary of environment department to provide guidance on pollution control and eco-restoration strategies. Simultaneously, special secretary, environment department, was appointed as principal impact assessment officer, with the authority to initiate and oversee all procedures for sectorwise impact assessment, restoration and remediation in coordination with scientific institutions and experts. A multidisciplinary team chaired by special secretary, environment department, will include specialists and officials from fisheries, tourism, harbour engineering, ports, industries and commerce, agriculture, water resources and local self-govt departments. This team is tasked with conducting detailed studies and coordinating field-level interventions. To institutionalise the response further, govt established a two-tier committee structure at both state and district levels. The state level committee, chaired by secretary, science & technology department, comprises the commissioner of disaster management, special secretary and director of environment department, chairperson of the Kerala state pollution control board, representatives from Indian Coast Guard and National Centre for Earth Science Studies and member secretary of KSDMA, and director of environment department will be the convener. This committee is responsible for issuing policy directives, advisories and resource support for district-level interventions and coordinating assessment studies. The district level committee, chaired by respective district collectors, includes joint director of local self-govt department, deputy director of fisheries, port officer, district agriculture officer, and district hazard analyst will act as convener. This committee is empowered to undertake immediate actions, including removal of debris from drifting containers and contaminated cargo along the coast and implementing protective measures against water pollution caused by hazardous materials or oil spills. Meanwhile, govt initiated consultations with the shipping company MSC to negotiate a financial package that will aid the state in damage and risk assessment, management and formulation of compensation mechanisms. For this, a high-level committee was constituted with additional chief secretary of finance department as chairperson. Other members include additional chief secretary of local self-govt, principal secretaries of revenue & disaster management, industries and agriculture departments, secretary of environment department, and member secretary of KSDMA will be convener and nodal contact with MSC. This financial negotiation committee will also function as the oversight committee for the state-level committee. It will supervise the development of both rapid and long-term frameworks for assessing damage and implementing remediation measures.
