Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Monday, 3 August firmly defended his government's flood management, asserting there had been no lapse whatsoever in the state's disaster response, while rejecting Opposition criticism over his helicopter use as politically motivated. Speaking in Thiruvananthapuram after chairing a high-level review meeting with senior officials, Satheesan said the flood situation was largely under control across Kerala, with Pathanamthitta remaining the only district where waters were still slowly receding.

Ground Situation and Relief Operations

The death toll from the floods has risen to 15, with seven persons still missing. Across the state, 316 relief camps are operational, sheltering 11,018 people. On the ground, the government has deployed 14 rescue boats moved from Kollam to Pathanamthitta, with two helicopters from Sulur on standby. Additional NDRF teams are en route, and Army units stationed at Kannur and Wayanad remain ready for deployment if required.

Compensation and Financial Relief

Satheesan disclosed that nearly 165 hectares of farmland belonging to over 3,000 farmers have been damaged, with the Cabinet expected to decide on compensation shortly. Families forced to evacuate will receive ₹10,000 as immediate relief, and ₹10,000 has been sanctioned for funeral expenses. Families of those who lost their lives will receive ₹8 lakh in total — comprising ₹4 lakh from the SDRF, ₹2 lakh from the CMDRF, and ₹2 lakh from the PMRF.

Warning Against Misinformation

The Chief Minister warned that rumours of Kerala's dams overflowing were completely false. 'Most of our dams are well within safe storage levels. Spreading panic through false information during a disaster is irresponsible. The government will initiate strong legal action against those circulating fake narratives,' Satheesan said, adding that coastal erosion zones were under constant surveillance.

On the rainfall intensity, Satheesan noted that some locations — including Vadaserikkara — recorded 350 mm of rain, while several other regions received over 300 mm. Since rainfall exceeding 200 mm is classified as extremely heavy, the Chief Minister said the event had surprised even meteorologists. 'I asked IMD experts how such cloudburst-like rainfall could not be predicted. They told me this was a new weather phenomenon driven by rising temperatures and was difficult to forecast,' he said.

Helicopter Row and Political Controversy

Responding to criticism that he had stopped for lunch during the peak of the crisis, Satheesan dismissed the allegations as 'cheap politics', saying he had visited the family of a deceased Congress leader to offer condolences and was invited to lunch at a nearby house. 'If having lunch has become a controversy, I apologise, if I had my lunch at 3 pm. Please understand I did not attend a party or a celebration,' he said, drawing a pointed comparison to the conduct of the previous government during the 2018 and 2019 floods.

On his helicopter use to visit his ailing father-in-law, Satheesan directly targeted former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of the Left Democratic Front (LDF). 'I did not use the helicopter to attend political meetings as Pinarayi Vijayan did. The helicopter is already under a contract that requires the government to pay a monthly retainer of ₹80 lakh for 25 flying hours. My journey did not cost the exchequer even a single rupee,' he said. He added that since his government took office, the helicopter had been used sparingly — only during the Wayanad landslide and now for essential travel.

What Comes Next

With the political battle over the flood response intensifying, Satheesan sought to project an administration that had anticipated the disaster — pointing to meetings convened with District Collectors on 30 July and 1 August to ensure relief camps and emergency arrangements were in place before the rains peaked. The Cabinet is expected to formalise farmer compensation decisions in the coming days, and legal proceedings against those spreading misinformation are reportedly being initiated.