Wayanad landslide survivors to launch stir against delay in rehabilitation

Action committee to stage dharna in front of Wayanad collectorate against ‘apathy of State and Union governments.’ Land identified for permanent settlement is allegedly caught in legal tangle. Committee members say 131 survivors have not received the promised emergency aid. Chief Minister says those affected will be rehabilitated with or without Central aid.

Survivors of the landslides in Wayanad are preparing to launch an agitation under the aegis of the “Janasabdham Karma Samiti,” an action committee, against the alleged apathy of the State and Union governments in implementing a rehabilitation project.

Naseer Alakkal, chairperson of the committee, told The Hindu that they had resolved to protest the delay in rehabilitation efforts.  A dharna will be staged in front of the Wayanad collectorate here on Thursday.

“We suspect a deliberate strategy to retain the survivors in Chooralmala and Mundakkai, the worst affected areas,” said Mr. Alakkal, who lost six acres of land, his house and 26 relatives in the disaster. He accused the authorities of having a covert plan to reduce the number of families eligible for relocation.

The government has identified land for permanent resettlement near Nedumbala and Kalpetta, but these plots are currently enmeshed in legal disputes. The High Court is dealing with a petition from the management of Harrisons Malayalam Ltd. regarding land acquisition processes under disaster management laws. Additionally, a civil suit has been filed by the District Collector in the Sulthan Bathery sub-court claiming rights to land owned by the company in Meppadi.

These ongoing legal issues are jeopardizing resettlement plans, necessitating the identification of land free from disputes for timely relocation. As many as 131 survivors have not received the emergency aid promised by the Chief Minister.

‘Resume search for missing’

Mr. Nazeer said the government should also publish a list of those who have died or gone missing in the disaster. “There is no clarity regarding the number of workers from other States who were residing in rental rooms and on the estates during the disaster. The search for the missing should resume in the disaster-affected areas, and the government must facilitate this”. The action committee also wants the government to write off the loans taken by residents in wards 10, 11, and 12 of the Meppadi panchayat.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that those affected by the Wayanad landslides will be rehabilitated with or without Central assistance. Inaugurating the valedictory of the observance of the 78th anniversary of the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising at Vayalar in Alappuzha on Sunday, he said the Wayanad tragedy was one of the biggest disasters the country has witnessed.

‘Central share pending’

“Following the landslides, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Wayanad and promised a special package. Later, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman promised aid. Though a team visited the affected areas and submitted a report to the Union government, the State has not yet received its share from the Centre. We have taken up the matter with the Centre multiple times, but there has been no response. We will rehabilitate all the affected people, with or without Central aid,” Mr. Vijayan said.

Special package sought

Meanwhile, Revenue Minister K. Rajan said 100 days had passed since the landslides rocked Wayanad, but the State was yet to receive any assistance from the Centre for rehabilitation of survivors. “What Kerala wants is not the amount from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). What we want is a special package for Wayanad,” he said. “We are waiting patiently. We still hope that we will get assistance from the Centre.”

(With inputs from PTI)

Published - October 27, 2024 09:00 pm IST