1 year on, Kerala renews commitment to Wayanad landslide victims

Wayanad: The Kerala government has decided to provide homes to 49 more people who lost their houses in last year’s devastating landslides in Mundakkai and Chooralmala, bringing the total number of rehabilitated beneficiaries to 451.

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday and announced by Revenue Minister K Rajan during a memorial event in Meppadi, marking the first anniversary of the disaster, which left a trail of destruction across Wayanad, claiming lives and wiping out homes, farmland, and businesses.

Along with housing, the government will also compensate traders who lost shops, commercial buildings, rental properties, goods, and other assets in the landslides. A committee of officials and experts will be formed to determine fair compensation, the minister said.

For those requiring ongoing medical treatment, support will continue until December 31, with ₹6 crore allocated from the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund (CMDRF).

A memorial will be built at the heart of Puthumala, one of the worst-hit areas, at a cost of ₹93.93 lakh, with construction scheduled to begin before Onam.

Minister Rajan said hearings had been completed for over 100 applicants seeking inclusion in the government’s housing list. Eligible families will be included after verification, while others may be considered under alternative disaster relief schemes. Field inspections are set to begin in August.

In a notable initiative for tribal rehabilitation, the government has identified five hectares of land in Vellarimala village, Meppadi, where 13 tribal families will be allotted houses and 10 cents of land each.

The minister also directed that all houses in Elston township, being developed as a resettlement site, should be completed by 31 December, weather permitting.

“The government’s aim is to implement a comprehensive and transparent rehabilitation plan, open to social auditing,” Rajan said.

“There may be shortcomings, we’re open to discussing them. The government is committed to embracing and supporting every survivor.”

Rajan also praised the courage of local residents, whose swift action in the aftermath of the landslides saved many lives before official rescue teams could reach the site. “They carried out near-impossible rescue efforts,” he noted.

The memorial event was attended by Ministers O R Kelu and T Siddique, District Panchayat President Samshad Marakkar, Meppadi Grama Panchayat President K Babu, senior officials, and representatives of political parties.

Meanwhile, the state Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, also approved compensation for victims of the Vilangad landslide in Kozhikode district, with a relief package similar to that offered in Chooralmala.

According to a release from the Chief Minister’s Office, livelihood compensation will be granted based on the District Collector’s recommendation, along with financial assistance for medical treatment.

PTI inputs