New Delhi: The Union government declined to declare the landslides that happened in Kerala’s Wayanad that took the lives of over 400 people in August as a ‘National Disaster’, causing huge disappointment among the people in Kerala, that was voiced by the opposition leaders.
Declaring the unfortunate natural calamity would open the provisions to provide the state government with funds to help and rehabilitate the affected people to recover from the disaster, which has been requested by the state government to the Modi-led union government.
Kerala has sought a Rs 2,000 crore relief package from the Union for Wayanad. Pressing the issue, K V Thomas, who is the special representative of Kerala in New Delhi had written to the union government, and in reply, minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai said “Under the existing guidelines of SDRF/ NDRF, there is no provision to declare any calamity as ‘National Disaster.”
Rai also said that an amount of Rs 388 crore has been allocated to the state government for the financial year 2024-25 in SDRF. Out of the total amount, the Centre’s share totalling Rs 291.20 crore was released in advance in two instalments, he added.
“In addition, the Accountant General, Kerala has reported a balance of Rs 394.99 crore in its SDRF account as of April 1, 2024. Thus, sufficient funds are available in the SDRF account of the state for the relief operations,” Rai said.
The disaster has caused damage of much more than the Rs 291.2 crore advance allocation and the 394.99 crore which the state has in its kitty for the relief of the people of Wayanad. The Centre’s move has caused widespread criticism from Kerala’s ruling and opposition parties alike who have accused the Union of “discrimination”, while the state’s BJP backed the Centre’s decision not to provide much-needed relief, citing technical reasons.
Kerala finance minister K N Balagopal criticised the Centre’s decision by calling it “a clear case of severe discrimination and injustice towards the state”.
He also claimed that the Central government was neglecting the state’s request for aid for the rehabilitation of the Wayanad disaster victims.
“The Centre’s stance of neglect towards providing any aid for the Wayanad disaster victims is a blatant injustice to the people of Kerala,” Balagopal contended.
State revenue minister K Rajan also spoke along similar lines.
He lashed out at the Centre for withholding relief funds for the Wayanad landslide survivors and said that Kerala was asserting its right and not seeking charity.
Rajan said that the state government has requested the Centre to declare the landslide that hit the Chooralmala and Mundakai regions in Wayanad a national disaster, but they have not taken any action on it and were “intentionally neglecting the state”.
He charged the union government with “deliberately delaying” disaster relief to Kerala, describing it as a challenge to the state.
Rajan also dismissed the union government’s claim that funds were available in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), by terming it as “misleading”.
He said that the state would not accept the Centre’s stance and would continue to fight for Kerala’s rightful claims.
Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan too attacked the Centre on the issue by terming its response as “shocking”.
He pointed out that the state has demanded a special financial package for the victims.
However, he said that neither the Congress nor the UDF would launch a joint agitation with the LDF and CPI(M) against the Centre on any issue as the Left Front might enter into an arrangement with the BJP at any moment.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief and Kannur MP K Sudhakaran termed the Centre’s stand on the Wayanad issue as “gross deception” and announced that a strong agitation would be launched against the denial of central aid.
Both the UDF and LDF have called for a hartal to protest against the Centre’s decision on November 19.
The Congress party’s candidate for the Wayanad Lok Sabha assembly poll Priyanka Gandhi, too joined the people of Kerala in sharing their discontent over the NDA government’s denial of relief to the people of Wayanad.
