Kerala High Court Orders State to Accelerate Estate Acquisition for Wayanad Rehabilitation
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Kochi, Dec 27 (NationPress) The Kerala High Court has instructed the state government to hasten the acquisition of two estates designated for the rehabilitation of families impacted by the Wayanad landslides. The delays in this acquisition have obstructed the establishment of planned townships for the affected families.
The authorities in Wayanad district had identified the Harrison Malayalam Estate (65.41 acres) in Nedumbala, Meppadi Grama Panchayat, and Elston Estate (78.73 acres) in Kalpetta for this initiative. The court issued its order under the Disaster Management Act, enabling the government to advance with the acquisitions while guaranteeing fair compensation to the landowners.
Previously, the landowners appealed to the court for a stay on the acquisition. The High Court's ruling follows months of inaction since the catastrophic landslide in July, which resulted in 231 fatalities, left 47 missing, and caused extensive devastation across four villages. The disaster completely destroyed 145 homes, partially damaged 170, rendered 240 uninhabitable, and swept away 183.
In light of the verdict, State Revenue Minister K. Rajan declared that the government is ready to accelerate the rehabilitation efforts. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will oversee the execution of the project, which entails constructing around 1,000 single-storey houses, each spanning 1,000 square feet, across the two designated sites.
"The list of sponsors willing to collaborate with the government is prepared, and we will coordinate all efforts to expedite rehabilitation," stated Rajan.
Despite the court's endorsement, obstacles persist. The estate owners may seek further relief from the division bench, and the project also necessitates approval from the Union government.
The landslides that struck the hilly regions of Wayanad district on July 30, while most residents were asleep, marked the most severe disaster to impact Kerala since 2018.
