Kalladi landslide: HC orders immediate compensation, govt to bear full treatment costs

Kochi: The Kerala High Court has directed the immediate disbursal of the compensation announced by the government to the families of those killed and to those injured in the Kalladi landslide in Wayanad. The court also ordered the State to bear the full cost of treatment for those admitted to hospital, as well as the expenses incurred by their attendants.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Dr A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice A.K. Preetha observed that the government should provide the relief without delay, adding that the question of recovering the amount, including the compensation, from the contracting company could be considered at a later stage.

The court considered the Kalladi landslide case along with a petition relating to the Chooralmala–Mundakkai landslide. The matter has been posted for further hearing next Friday, by which time a fresh report is to be submitted.

During the hearing, the State government informed the court that ministers were present at the site to oversee the rescue and search operations. Amicus Curiae Advocate Ranjith Thampan pointed out that the monsoon has only just begun and stressed the need for preventive measures to avoid similar tragedies in the coming months.

Two separate investigations ordered

Special Secretary of the Disaster Management Department K. Jeevan Babu submitted a report before the court detailing the measures taken following the landslide.

According to the report, two independent investigations will be conducted. One, led by the Secretary of the Disaster Management Department, will examine the technical and legal aspects of the incident. The other, headed by the Secretary of the Environment Department, will assess whether the conditions stipulated in the environmental clearance were complied with.

The report further stated that, in view of the heavy rainfall, the District Disaster Management Authority had directed that tunnel construction be suspended from June 5. According to the government, this decision helped reduce the scale of the disaster.