Rescuers evacuate people from a flooded area to a safer place in Aluva in Kerala (Reuters)
K Harinarayan, president of the World Malayali Council’s Pune chapter, tells The Indian Express that the floods in Kerala were not caused only due to nature’s fury, but also because the state government had rejected the Madhav Gadgil report on Western Ghats
What is the latest update on the flood situation in Kerala?
The grave situation is continuing in many parts of Kerala as the rains have not stopped. In some parts, though, the rain has stopped, but not in the entire state. As the discharge from dams has increased, the rivers continue to overflow.
Did you get distress calls from acquaintances stranded in Kerala?
Yes, several of them. In Thrissur especially, people are in a state of tizzy. There is a river in Thrissur called Karavanur, which is overflowing. There is a small dam over the river. If the dam collapses, over 10,000 people will be affected in Thrissur and surrounding areas. People are frantically trying to contact NDRF and defence personnel… People complained that mobile phones of ministers were not reachable.
What kind of help is the council mobilising in Pune?
We have called a meeting of all Kerala associations in Pune on Monday. We will take a call on an action plan to send help that is needed in Kerala.
What kind of help has the Maharashtra government extended so far?
We have heard that the Maharashtra government has sanctioned Rs 20 crore as flood-relief for Kerala. The entire Kerala community in Maharashtra thanks the government for the gesture. We would also like to thank the people of Maharashtra who are helping voluntarily.
K Harinarayan, president of the World Malayali Council’s Pune chapter
Whom should one contact for sending help to affected people in Kerala?
So far, the council has collected Rs 15 lakh from Malayalis and non-Malayalis, including from Lions Club of Pune district. They can contact World Malayali Council’s Pune province office, located in Pimpri on Ajmera-Morwadi Road, Fusion Park.
What kind of help is primarily required?
We need money to be sent to Kerala. After some days, we will send material to Kerala. As of now, it is difficult to transport material as there is a problem of storage. The money will directly go to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. We will give receipts when we collect donations from people.
Read | A step-by-step guide on how you can donate to the Kerala CM’s relief fund
Were the Kerala floods caused only due to nature’s fury?
Besides nature’s fury, the situation in Kerala is also a man-made problem. There is encroachment of river beds and along the dams. Kerala has become a hotbed of illegal quarrying. The problem has aggravated because the Kerala government outrightly rejected the Madhav Gadgil report regarding Western Ghats. Gadgil had warned the government that illegal mining and deforestation, in the name of development and tourism, had led to massive encroachments on river side and lake sides. There was an urgent need for corrective action. There is political lobbying against implementation of the Madhav Gadgil report in Kerala.