Centre has 'negative approach' towards Wayanad rehabilitation, says Kerala government

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Sunday continued to express its displeasure over the delay in central assistance to landslide-hit Wayanad and said the union government was yet to announce the category in which the disaster is classified.

Revenue Minister K Rajan said 100 days have passed since the massive landslides rocked the hamlets of Wayanad, but the state was yet to receive any assistance from the union government for its rehabilitation.

The "negative approach" adopted by the Centre in terms of the rehabilitation of Wayanad was 'painful' for the state, he told reporters here.

The state government has raised demands for central assistance several times.

"What Kerala wants is not the amount from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)...What we want is a special package for Wayanad," Rajan said.

Noting that the state had already submitted a memorandum to the Centre in accordance with the Disaster Management Act, the minister said the union government is now talking only about the amount received as SDRF.

There is no connection between these two, he said.

The minister further explained that the amount in the SDRF is given in connection with any small or big disasters that occur anywhere in the state.

"What Wayanad needs is a special package. The Centre not only remains silent on this but is also yet to make it clear under which category the Wayanad landslide tragedy is classified... whether it is L1, L2 or L3," the revenue minister said.

According to official sources, there are different categories of disaster as defined by the National Disaster Management Guidelines- L0, L1, L2 and L3.

Rajan said if the disaster is classified as L3, even Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs across the country can contribute to the rehabilitation of Wayanad.

"We are waiting patiently...We are continuing to contact the disaster management authority officials. We still hope that we will get assistance from the Centre."

The minister's statement came a day after CM Pinarayi Vijayan lashed out at the Centre, accusing it of adopting a stand aimed at destroying the state even during the time of disaster.