Rescuers help people to cross a flooded area after a landslide caused by torrential monsoon rains in Meppadi in Wayanad district of Kerala
Credit: Reuters Photo
New Delhi: “Distressed” by the devastating landslides in Kerala's Wayanad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for those who were injured in the natural disaster even as MPs from Kerala raised the issue in Parliament seeking more help from the Centre.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who will be visiting Wayanad on Wednesday, urged the Centre to extend all support for Kerala while calling for urgent mapping of landslide-prone areas and an action plan to tackle growing frequency of national calamities in ecologically fragile areas, as the country has witnessed an alarming rise in landslides in the last few years.
Modi spoke to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the morning and assured all possible help while a “deeply concerned” Home Minister said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed in Wayanad while union minister G Kishan Reddy informed Rajya Sabha that army team has reached the disaster site.
The Prime Minister said on ‘X’ that he was “distressed by the landslides” and his thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones and prayers with those injured. He also instructed Minister of State George Kurien to go to Wayanad and lead the rescue and relief operations and coordinate with the state government and agencies like NDRF.
Track live updates from the Kerala landslide here
In a post on 'X', the Prime Minister's Office said that Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased in the landslides in parts of Wayanad. The injured would be given Rs 50,000, it said.
In Lok Sabha, Rahul asked for the immediate release of the compensation to deceased people and to increase it. He said, “even as I speak, the threat of landslides looms over many areas in Wayanad and the Western Ghats.
In Rajya Sabha where Kerala MPs urged the government for immediate actions and financial aid, Nadda said the whole country is distressed by the disaster and the union government is proactive in rescue and relief operations. “Whatever is needed will be done. I know the emotions are high, we will address all issues as per the standard procedure,” he said.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said the landslides were a “painful incident” and state and union governments are acting in tandem even as he objected to some MPs who raised questions about the way the Centre was dealing with the situation.
CPI(M) MP John Brittas demanded that the Defence, Home and Finance Ministries should provide all help and enough funds should be released while asking for deployment of the military in rescue operations. Muslim League MP Abdul Wahab said Kerala does not have enough money and the government should immediately release funds.
CPI floor leader P Sandosh Kumar demanded that the Wayanad landslides be declared a national disaster while urging Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to add Kerala also along with states like Assam and Bihar, which have been provided special budgetary allocation to fight floods. Congress MP Jebi Mather demanded Rs 5,000 crore immediate funds.
Kharge also expressed “extremely pained” by the incident while urging the state and union governments to expedite relief and rescue operations and provide urgent medical help to the victims, in coordination with all the agencies.
“Congress leaders and workers should put in all their efforts to provide every possible assistance to the people. Coordinate with doctors, paramedics and kindly follow up with the agencies to support the victims of the tragedy,” he said.
Priyanka Gandhi, who Congress had announced as Wayanad candidate for the Lok Sabha bypolls, said she is "deeply saddened" and urged the government to take immediate action to expedite relief and rescue operations and request UDF workers to step forward to do all they can be of support and comfort to all those affected by this tragedy.