IDUKKI: The state government will ensure the rehabilitation of all those affected by the Pettimudy landslide, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Thursday, after visiting the landslide site along with governor Arif Mohammed Khan, state ministers, people's representatives and government officials.
At least 83 persons are reported missing in the landslide that occurred early on August 7. The rescue workers could not recover any bodies on Thursday. As many as 55 bodies have been recovered so far. The search will continue on Friday.
Besides assessing the situation, the chief minister and the governor also interacted with the local people. Later, after a review meeting in Munnar, Vijayan said only a few members of the affected families are alive. “There are children among the survivors and in those families. Their education should continue. The government will have to identify a new place for constructing houses for them. We hope the Kannan Devan Hills Plantation (KDHP) Company will help us in identifying a place for building the houses,” he said.
MP seeks clarity on rehab plan
Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose sought clarity on the government announcement of rehabilitation. “The Pettimudy natives haven’t got any benefit from the chief minister's announcement. He said the government will provide Rs 5 lakh each to victims and the construction of homes and relief will be implemented with the assistance of the KDHP Company, but the workers have no land or money to construct homes,” he said.
Vijayan said the government was ready to construct houses for those affected.
“The KDHP Company has already shifted people from the landslide prone areas to other layams. Those shifted from Pettimudy to other layams are now living without any income and the company should support them. The government expects a favourable decision from the company on issues like repair works of the estate layams,” he said.
Devikulam sub collector S Premkrishnan said the chief minister had directed them to continue the search operations to find the maximum bodies.
“On Thursday, we completed a search up till 1.53km from the landslide site... On Friday, we will extend our search to more areas. We will use radars and sniffer dogs in the coming days,” he said.
The sub collector said they would also be shifting the debris from the landslide site to a ground provided by the tea company in the next few days.
At least 83 persons are reported missing in the landslide that occurred early on August 7. The rescue workers could not recover any bodies on Thursday. As many as 55 bodies have been recovered so far. The search will continue on Friday.
Besides assessing the situation, the chief minister and the governor also interacted with the local people. Later, after a review meeting in Munnar, Vijayan said only a few members of the affected families are alive. “There are children among the survivors and in those families. Their education should continue. The government will have to identify a new place for constructing houses for them. We hope the Kannan Devan Hills Plantation (KDHP) Company will help us in identifying a place for building the houses,” he said.
MP seeks clarity on rehab plan
Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose sought clarity on the government announcement of rehabilitation. “The Pettimudy natives haven’t got any benefit from the chief minister's announcement. He said the government will provide Rs 5 lakh each to victims and the construction of homes and relief will be implemented with the assistance of the KDHP Company, but the workers have no land or money to construct homes,” he said.
Vijayan said the government was ready to construct houses for those affected.
“The KDHP Company has already shifted people from the landslide prone areas to other layams. Those shifted from Pettimudy to other layams are now living without any income and the company should support them. The government expects a favourable decision from the company on issues like repair works of the estate layams,” he said.
Devikulam sub collector S Premkrishnan said the chief minister had directed them to continue the search operations to find the maximum bodies.
“On Thursday, we completed a search up till 1.53km from the landslide site... On Friday, we will extend our search to more areas. We will use radars and sniffer dogs in the coming days,” he said.
The sub collector said they would also be shifting the debris from the landslide site to a ground provided by the tea company in the next few days.
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