Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday announced that a final rehabilitation plan for the victims of the Wayanad landslide is being prepared in consultation with experts from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local officials.
“The Chief Secretary will coordinate discussions to seek expert opinions on the matter,” Vijayan said, stressing that the process would not be delayed. In view of the tragedy, the government has decided to cancel the Onam week celebrations, the CM said.
The landslide has affected 729 families. Of these, 219 families are still living in makeshift camps while others are living in rented accommodation or with relatives. The government will provide financial support to those who have moved to rented accommodation and has renovated 75 government buildings to accommodate 83 families. In addition, 123 of 177 rental houses identified by the government are ready for occupancy.
The CM also gave an update on the casualty figures and confirmed that 179 bodies have been identified and 119 people are still missing. Financial assistance of Rs 400,000 from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and Rs 200,000 from the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) has been disbursed to affected families, with 691 families receiving emergency funds of Rs 10,000.
He also stressed that banks in Kerala must help the affected people. “Many have taken loans for agriculture, education and housing. Considering their plight, a proposal to write off the loans has been made in the State Banking Committee meeting. The affected banks will take this up with their respective boards,” he said.
The Chief Minister also mentioned that EMI payments collected after July 30 from the landslide-affected people should be refunded. In addition, agriculture-related loans will be restructured by issuing new loans on relaxed terms and with quick approval. Reconstruction processes in the landslide-affected areas will be temporarily halted.
“The financial assistance provided will not be considered as a means of repaying existing financial liabilities,” Vijayan clarified. In view of the tragedy, the government decided to cancel the Onam week celebrations.
