PM Modi visits landslide-hit Wayanad amid Opposition's ‘national disaster’ tag demand
PM Modi also visited the relief camp to meet and interact with the victims and survivors of the landslide in Wayanad.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited Wayanad in Kerala, which was struck by a catastrophic landslide last week, resulting in over 300 deaths and impacting hundreds of homes. Modi toured the disaster-stricken areas on foot and conducted an aerial survey to evaluate the extent of the damage.
In footage shared by DD News, the Prime Minister was seen walking alongside Kerala governor Arif Mohammed Khan, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Union minister Suresh Gopi in the affected regions. Officials presented him with a map of the Wayanad landslide and provided updates on the evacuation efforts.
He used an Indian Air Force helicopter to conduct an aerial survey of the landslide-affected areas of Chooralmala, Mundakkai, and Punchirimattam hamlets. Chief minister Vijayan was also seen accompanying the prime minister in the video.
Arriving by helicopter from Kannur airport, Modi trekked through the devastated Chooralmala area to personally witness the damage from the July 30 landslides.
Modi also visited the relief camp to meet and interact with the victims and survivors of the landslide in Wayanad.
Oppn's demand to declare Wayanad landslides a ‘national disaster’
Earlier on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi addressed the Lok Sabha, calling on the Central government to classify the landslides in Kerala's Wayanad as a "national disaster," provide a comprehensive rehabilitation package for those impacted, and increase the compensation for the victims.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said, “Almost 300 people have died in the Wayanad landslide. It was our demand that the incident should be declared as a National disaster. Today PM Modi has visited Wayanad...It would be good if he goes to Manipur also...”
In response to Rahul Gandhi's request to declare the Wayanad landslides a national disaster, Government of India sources stated on Saturday, “there is no provision to declare a natural disaster as a national disaster.”
On Saturday, government sources referenced a 2013 response from a Congress-led UPA government minister highlighting that the concept of a "national disaster" is not recognised under central government regulations. In a 2013 Lok Sabha reply, Mullappally Ramachandran, then Minister of State for Home and Congress MP from Kerala, had stated that "there is no provision to declare a natural disaster as a national disaster," the sources pointed out.
Why the ‘national disaster’ demand?
When a disaster is declared of "rare severity" or "severe nature," support is provided to the state government at the national level, and additional assistance may be considered from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
However, no executive or legal provision exists to classify a natural calamity as a national calamity.
The National Disaster Response Fund, managed by the Central government, is used to cover expenses for emergency relief, disaster response, and rehabilitation during a disaster.
As of April 1 this year, the Kerala State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) account had approximately ₹395 crore. The first installment of the central share for the SDRF for the current year, amounting to over ₹145.60 crore, was released in advance on July 31, according to PTI.