Former Kerala Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday, 9 July launched a pointed counter-attack against Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, rejecting the CM's claims about the environmental clearance granted to the Wayanad tunnel road project and demanding accountability for administrative lapses that he argued worsened the deadly mudslide at Kalladi. The death toll in the disaster climbed to six after rescue teams recovered three more bodies from the debris, with two people still missing.

Vijayan's Rebuttal on Environmental Clearance

Vijayan, who had cleared the tunnel project and inaugurated its construction earlier this year while serving as Chief Minister, said Satheesan's suggestion that the environmental clearance was obtained through questionable means was factually wrong. He stated that the clearance followed a transparent process rooted in detailed scientific studies conducted from 2023 onwards, and received approvals from both the state and Central governments.

Critically, he noted that the Kerala High Court had dismissed petitions challenging the clearance on 16 December 2025, a verdict subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court. Vijayan argued that alleging manipulation in the clearance process amounted to disregarding binding judicial findings.

Accountability for Soil Mismanagement

'Instead of shifting the blame onto others, ministers should explain how lapses occurred,' Vijayan told reporters after visiting the disaster site. He raised pointed questions about the handling of excavated soil from the tunnel project, noting that a high-level meeting had earlier directed that the material be removed from the site.

'How was that decision overturned? Who is responsible?' he asked. According to Vijayan, excavated earth left piled up at the site mixed with the soil that came crashing down from the hillside, reportedly aggravating the scale of the mudslide. The mudslide occurred near Meenakshi Bridge at Kalladi, where work on the Wayanad end of the tunnel road project is currently under way.

Rescue Operations and Ground Conditions

Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Fire and Rescue Services, police, Forest Department, and local volunteers continued search-and-recovery operations with the aid of excavators and heavy machinery. Intermittent rain and unstable terrain hampered progress throughout the day.

Vijayan also flagged the condition of those sheltering in relief camps, saying many displaced persons — including several women — lacked adequate clothing and were still wearing what they had on when the disaster struck. He offered condolences to the families of the deceased and assured the government of the opposition's full cooperation in rescue, relief, and rehabilitation.

High Court Takes Suo Motu Cognisance

In a significant legal development, the Kerala High Court took up the matter suo motu and asked the Advocate General to furnish a complete and detailed account of all incidents at the accident site. The court's intervention signals heightened judicial scrutiny over the circumstances surrounding the mudslide and the infrastructure work in the area.

Broader Concerns Over Wayanad's Fragile Ecology

The latest tragedy has renewed longstanding concerns over the execution of infrastructure projects in ecologically sensitive zones in Wayanad, the district's fragile hill ecology, and the state's disaster preparedness frameworks. Vijayan maintained that the tunnel road project itself remained vital for connectivity and development in the region, even as questions mount over its on-ground execution.