In Wayanad, PM vows all support to rehabilitation

KALPETTA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the landslide-ravaged areas of Wayanad on Saturday and promised all support in the relief and rehabilitation efforts.

Stating that the Centre will stand with the state government in the rebuilding process, the prime minister said funds will not be a constraint for the rehabilitation of the survivors of the devastating landslides that shattered Chooralmala and Mundakkai villages.

The prime minister, who undertook an aerial survey of the disaster-stricken areas, later visited the landslide spots at Chooralmala and Mundakkai. He walked through some of the affected areas for a closer look at the devastation. He also met survivors at a hospital and a relief camp in Meppadi, lending an ear to their concerns.

“The country and the government are with the survivors. We wish to let the affected people know that they are not alone,” he said after the review meeting at the collectorate conference hall in Kalpetta.

Modi said he has sought a detailed memorandum from the state government on the extent of damage and loss. “The Central government will act favourably once we get the memorandum,” Modi said. The prime minister assured that both the state and the Central governments will join hands for the rehabilitation package. Central ministers and officials have already had a round of discussion with the chief minister and the state officials.

Later in the day, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state has requested the PM to provide financial help to rehabilitate the survivors. In a statement, he said a note in this regard has been handed over to the prime minister.

At the review meeting, Modi recalled his experience as a relief volunteer during the tragedy at Morbi in Gujarat in 1979. He said he can understand the grief of the survivors. “A long-term project is needed to address the issues related to children who are victims of the tragedy. I hope the state government will consider this too,” he said. Modi said he has been in contact with the state government ever since the disaster and that all the arms of the Central government were mobilised in the rescue and relief operations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with a child affected by the landslide, at a hospital in Wayanad on Saturday

Modi interacts with injured at hospital

“I visited the spots and had a detailed interaction with the survivors. I also visited the hospital where the injured are admitted,” he said.

Chief Secretary Dr V Venu made a presentation on the landslides and the measures taken after the tragedy. The chief minister, other people’s representatives and officials attended the meeting.

Earlier, Modi, who arrived at the Kannur airport, surveyed the landslide-affected areas in Wayanad aboard an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter around 11.15am.

During the aerial survey, Modi assessed the extensive devastation in Chooralmala, Mundakkai, and Punchirimattom villages. The prime minister was accompanied by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Union Minister Suresh Gopi and Wayanad District Collector Meghasree, besides Pinarayi.

Going beyond the prepared schedule, according to which the visit should have ended by 3pm, the PM spent additional time in the district.

After the aerial survey, the PM landed at SKMJ Higher Secondary School in Kalpetta around 12.30pm. Later, he visited the landslide spots, where he was briefed by officials on the scale of the disaster. The officials updated him on the ongoing evacuation and relief efforts.

The PM spent approximately 50 minutes at the spot and walked around, directly assessing the damage and the efforts being made to assist those affected.

Modi personally acknowledged and praised the efforts of the Fire and Rescue Services teams at Kalpetta and Sultan Bathery, who were the first responders at the landslide sites.

He also expressed his gratitude to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Army, and the forest department for their relentless work in rescue and relief operations.

One of the most poignant moments of the visit happened when the PM met the survivors of the landslide at St Joseph’s Girls Higher Secondary School. Eight survivors, many of whom were still grappling with the trauma of the disaster, were given the opportunity to share their experiences with the PM, with the assistance of an interpreter. Modi also took time out to speak to the medical team at the relief camp.

In his interaction with officials and survivors, Modi described the landslides as a manifestation of nature’s “furious form” and assured all necessary support from the central government to help the region recover. He also visited Dr Moopen’s Medical College, where many of the injured are receiving treatment, to offer his personal support.

Given the gravity of the situation and the high-profile visit, stringent security measures were in place throughout the PM’s tour. Approximately 1,000 Kerala Police personnel were deployed across the region, from Kalpetta to Meppadi, to ensure a safe and smooth passage for the Prime Minister and his entourage.

After concluding the review meeting and visiting the affected sites, Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to SKMJ Higher Secondary School in Kalpetta, from where he took a helicopter back to the Kannur airport, marking the end of his visit to the disaster-stricken region.