Chooralmala and Mundakkai of Wayanad in Kerala witnessed landslides on the 30th of July; 308 people have been killed, and 180 are missing. Search and rescue efforts have now reached their day 7 and the authorities sustain their efforts in bringing assistance to the affected.
Shelter and Evacuation-Type Activities
Thus, to help people who fled the conflict, officials opened 53 relief camps in Wayanad which currently accommodate 6,759 individuals. These are 2,501 males, 2,677 females, 1,581 children, and 20 pregnant women. Sixteen other camps have been established in Meppadi and other gram panchayats; provisions include facilities for SDMLP School, D-Paul Public School at Kalpetta, RCLP School at Chundel, and GHS School near Rippon, WMO College at Muttil, Rippon’s new building at Arappatta, and as rescue centers.
Government Response and Investigations
Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav accused villagers and ‘anti-social’ elements of the state of indulging in ‘mining mafia operations’ including ‘encroachment on state minerals’ for which ‘official connivance’ cannot be ruled out. He noted that there was an issue of poor zoning in the tourist resorts and this extended to the sensitive area through encroachment. Yadav said, “It is an illegal protection to the illegal human habitation by the local politicians” in an interview with ANI.
Also Read: Kerala Floods and Landslides: 123 Dead, Athirapally Falls in Focus
After the unfortunate event, the government of India has set up a committee which is headed by Sanjay Kumar, the former Director General of Forests, with the main responsibility of determining the root cause of the incident as well as finding preventive measures.
Current Status and Measures
Police have till now retrieved 220 bodies and several body parts and the Wayanad administration buried the dead in a mass funeral on Sunday night. Even Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan spoke the hard truth last week admitting that there is practically no chance to look for more survivors.
However, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) has gone further in taking preventive measures that include vigilance patrols at night in the affected region as a security boost as well as whipping in a statement that any person found trespassing on the property of any of the victims during such evil night times will be given a hot chase by police through the courts of law.
Report By: Sonali Sarkar
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