Kerala to urge Centre to expedite Wayanad landslide aid, financial help for orphaned kids announced

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Wednesday announced a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh each to six children who lost both parents in the Wayanad landslide and Rs 5 lakh each to eight children who lost either parent.

DH had earlier reported on the delay in extending any special assistance to children orphaned in the devastating landslides on July 30 at Mundakkai and Chooralmala. Those who lost both parents are now under the care of relatives.

The state cabinet on Wednesday also decided to give government job to Wayanad native Shruthi who lost her entire family in the landslide and her fiance in a road accident afterwards.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters that Kerala will urge the Centre to expedite financial assistance for rehabilitation of the landside hit people.

Apart from the normal allocation of Rs. 291.2 crore for state disaster response fund, the centre did not give any additional financial assistance yet. Hence the state would again urge the centre to allow assistance for rehabilitation, he said.

Vijayan said that the state government identified two plantations in Wayanad for setting up townships for those who lost houses in the landslide.