Thiruvananthapuram: Even as Kerala pushes for central assistance to address the aftermath of the Wayanad landslides, the Defense Ministry has dealt a heavy blow by demanding payment for rescue operations during the disaster.

It has been reported that the Defense Ministry has requested ₹13.65 crore from the state for relief efforts, including helicopter-assisted rescues carried out in Wayanad between July 30 and August 14. Since 2006, a total of ₹132.61 crore is pending from the state government for various rescue operations conducted by the defense forces up to September 30 this year. The ministry has written to the Chief Secretary, urging payment of the full amount.

During earlier flood-related rescue operations, the Defense Ministry had also sought funds, with Kerala paying nearly ₹100 crore at the time. The current demand covers expenses for several rescue missions conducted over the years. The army’s rescue and search operations in the landslide-hit areas of Wayanad received national attention, and the state had expressed its gratitude with a respectful farewell to the teams.

The army provided detailed accounts of the rescue efforts carried out on July 30, 31, August 8, and August 14 in connection with Wayanad. For July 30, the day of the landslide, ₹8.91 crore was claimed, while ₹4.2 crore was demanded for operations on July 31.

The Defense Ministry's demand comes amid ongoing disputes between the central and state governments regarding additional assistance for rehabilitation efforts. The central government has argued that Kerala delayed submitting the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) report, which has prevented the announcement of a special financial assistance package.

However, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan criticized this stance, calling it unreasonable and a betrayal of the people in the disaster-affected areas. Minister K. Rajan also highlighted that the central government has denied Kerala additional aid while extending such support to other states in similar situations.