Kerala Fails to Follow PM’s Directive Regarding Wayanad Disaster Relief, Priyanka Shares Centre's Reaction
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New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 6 (NationPress) Following a meeting where Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and all parliamentarians from Kerala approached Union Home Minister Amit Shah to expedite the relief package for those affected by the landslide, she shared the Centre's response on X. The response attributed the delay in the submission of the memorandum to the Kerala government.
The correspondence highlighted that there has been a significant delay on the part of the state government, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurance to the state.
It was noted that even after three and a half months post-incident, the state government has not provided an assessment memorandum.
The letter stated, “It was only recently (November 13) that the state government submitted its memorandum estimating Rs 2,219.03 crore for recovery and reconstruction.”
The Centre mentioned that it had released the first installment of Rs 145.60 crore on July 31, followed by another Rs 145.60 crore on October 1.
Additionally, a total of Rs 782.99 crore is available in the state’s SDRF account for relief operations, which includes a balance of Rs 394.99 crore.
In her post, Priyanka Gandhi emphasized that disasters should transcend politics, stating, “Efforts to support the victims of such disasters must prioritize humanity and compassion. The people of Wayanad are looking towards the State and Central Governments with hope; they don’t need excuses, they need urgent help to rebuild their lives with dignity. India stands strongest when every level of government collaborates to heal wounds and rebuild lives. The Centre and State must step up and fulfill their responsibilities to the people of Wayanad...”
The landslide occurred on July 30, devastating four villages in Wayanad.
A total of 231 lives were claimed, with 47 individuals still missing. The disaster resulted in the complete destruction of 145 houses, partial destruction of 170 homes, 240 houses being deemed uninhabitable, and 183 homes being washed away.
Notably, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government has consistently accused the Centre of providing inadequate support to Kerala while favoring other states that experienced less severe tragedies compared to the Wayanad disaster.
After winning the Wayanad by-election by an impressive margin of over four lakh votes, Priyanka Gandhi pledged to her constituents that she would do everything within her power to accelerate the Centre's intervention.
