Wayanad (Kerala) [India], August 2 (ANI): BJP leader and former Union Minister V Muraleedharan said that there was an alert warning the state of the climate situation and added that there is no “blame game”.
Two massive landslides hit Chooralmala and Mundakkai of Meppadi in Wayanad on July 30 claiming over 300 lives and leaving several others injured.
The former Union Minister said that the precautionary measures should have been taken based on the alerts and urged the state government to “find out who was at fault”.
“We hope that when the relief operations progress, we will be able to save more lives. The facts are there for everyone to verify, I have also the copies of warnings given on July 18 and 25. There was an alert and precautionary measures that needed to be taken. If it wasn’t done, govt should find out who was at fault and take necessary steps,” Muraleedharan said.
“There is no blame game here, if some of the MPs of the INDI alliance want to blame the Union govt, the Parliament can’t be misled so it is the responsibility of the Union Home Minister to place the facts before the House,” he added.
On July 31, Union Home Minister Amit Shah claimed in Rajya Sabha of giving early warnings to Kerala seven days before the incident.
“Early warning was given, that is why on July 23, we sent 9 teams of NDRF and three more were sent yesterday. Had they become alert the day the NDRF teams landed, a lot could have been saved. Questions are being raised about the early warning system of the government,” Shah said in Rajya Sabha.
However, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan refuted the Union Home Minister’s claims and said that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had only issued an orange alert for the district before the landslides.
Wayanad experienced over 500 millimetres of rainfall, far exceeding the IMD’s predictions, the CM said.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George said on Friday that post-mortem procedures of 199 bodies have been conducted so far in Wayanad. In a post on Facebook, Minister George said that additionally, DNA samples of 130 body parts were also taken.
She further said that ICUs are kept ready in hospitals in Wayanad to provide intensive care to those rescued from the disaster areas. Hospitals including Manjeri Medical College and Kozhikode Medical College, which can reached if airlifted, are also kept on standby.
Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh also visited the affected sites in Wayanad and reviewed the situation.
Speaking to ANI, MP Suresh said, “The situation is not good, the rescue operation is going at war footing level. Today also, they found so many bodies. 4 people were found alive under the debris of a house.”
“The entire Congress is emotional about this. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi visited the affected areas and relief camps yesterday. Today as well they are here, visiting different places and holding a high-level meeting,” he added.
Kerala Minister AK Saseendran said that the rescue operation is going very well and systematically. The Indian Army during the rescue operations in Wayanad found four persons alive in the rumble including two men and two women earlier in the day.
According to the officials, the rescued individuals were stranded in the Padavetti Kunnu in Wayanad. The Army statement said that one of the rescued females was experiencing difficulties with her leg and was provided with necessary medical attention.
Earlier, the Indian Army’s Engineer Task Force swiftly constructed the Bailey Bridge over the Iruvanipzha River at Chooralmala, significantly accelerating rescue operations in Wayanad.
To speed up the rescue operation, ten specialised teams, equipped with all necessary rescue apparatus, including dog squads and heavy earth-moving equipment have been formed. These teams commenced the combing operations early morning through six designated zones: Punchirimattom, Mundekkai, School area, Chooralmala town, Village area and Downstream, ensuring a thorough and efficient search and relentless rescue mission, the Southern Command of the Army said in a statement today.
Brigadier Arjun Segan, Commandant of the Para Regimental Training Centre said that rescue operations are swiftly continuing with additional strength of sniffer dogs.
Search operations by relief teams along with dog squads started at 7 am today. This includes 10 teams comprising 30 members each formed from Armed Forces personnel including Police.
Indian Air Force to Fly C-130 aircraft from Hindon air base to Wayanad, it will carry specialised Drone Systems along with a team of experts to Wayanad for sub-soil evacuation monitoring. These drone systems will look for people stuck under the soil.
The rescue and relief operations coordinated by the Army, NDRF, SDRF and civil administration are underway at multiple locations, ensuring quick evacuation of stranded people, and provision of basic amenities and medical assistance. (ANI)
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