Wayanad landslide: Land acquisition for rehabilitation of survivors to be expedited

Though the State had sought a special assistance package for the affected, the Centre is yet to approve it, says Revenue Minister

Revenue Minister K. Rajan has said that the land acquisition process for the proposed rehabilitation of the survivors of the Chooralmala landslides in Wayanad will be expedited.

Addressing the media here on Tuesday, Mr. Rajan dismissed concerns raised by the survivors in the light of certain media reports, describing their anxiety as unfounded. He said that land would be acquired, while compensation would be provided to landowners.

The Minister, however, pointed out that a significant hurdle in the process was the alleged delay in the Centre’s disbursement of funds for a special package to assist the survivors. He noted that there was a suggestion that the State government could use funds granted by the Centre from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), instead of waiting for the special package. He clarified that according to SDRF guidelines, the fund was intended for immediate disaster relief. It provides a mere ₹1.30 lakh to those who have lost their homes and up to ₹4 lakh to the families of the deceased.

Though the State had formally sought a special assistance package for the affected, the Centre was yet to approve it despite intervention by the Kerala High Court. The State had articulated three primary demands to the Centre — special financial assistance beyond the SDRF allocation, waiver of loans for the affected survivors, and classification of the disaster under L3 category.

Temporary rehabilitation of the survivors had been completed within a month, Mr. Rajan said, adding that the permanent rehabilitation project would also be executed in a time-bound manner.

He noted that financial assistance for survivors would continue until the permanent rehabilitation project was implemented. A detailed list of survivors from wards 10, 11, and 12 of Meppadi grama panchayat would be published after the byelections, with opportunities for redressal of complaints before finalisation.

The Minister expressed hope that the Kerala High Court would deliver a favourable verdict for the victims during the hearing scheduled for Wednesday. He also questioned the Centre’s reluctance to extend a special package for the State, highlighting that Andhra Pradesh had received similar assistance for its natural disaster survivors. Nevertheless, Rajan reaffirmed the government’s commitment to executing the rehabilitation package for the landslide survivors.

In addition, a package would be made available for landslide victims at Vilanagad in Kozhikode district.

Published - November 06, 2024 01:36 am IST