As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to visit Wayanad today to assess the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts following the recent devastating landslides, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has urged the government to declare the situation a national disaster. The landslides, which occurred on July 30, have resulted in over 400 fatalities and significant destruction in the region.
Rahul Gandhi, a Lok Sabha member from Wayanad, visited the impacted districts on August 2 and emphasised how much the survivors needed help right now. “It is a tragedy for Wayanad, for Kerala, and for the country,” he emphasised. Many of the survivors want to be transferred, so we must make sure they receive the support they need.” He emphasised that at this crucial moment, the focus should still be on aiding the victims rather than having political conversations.
However, the call for a national disaster declaration faces a hurdle. A 2013 reply in Parliament from then-minister of state for home, Mullappally Ramachandran, indicates that no official concept of a “national disaster” exists under the central government’s guidelines—a policy that has remained unchanged since the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responded to Gandhi’s demands, stating that the term “national disaster” is not recognized in the current framework. Muraleedharan, a former Union Minister, noted, “The concept does not exist under the Central government’s guidelines, a fact that has been the case since the UPA government’s tenure.”
PM Modi’s visit is intended to assess relief efforts in reaction to the sad events and interact with impacted families. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with the Army and Air Force have sent as many as 1,200 members to assist in operations for rescuing and providing relief. The Indian Army constructed a key Bailey bridge measuring 190 feet in only 71 hours which would facilitate easier access for rescue teams along with medical supplies.
In addition to visiting hospitals and relief camps to speak with survivors and evaluate the state of continuing rescue efforts, Modi’s schedule includes an aerial survey of the damaged areas. The Prime Minister is anticipated to be greeted in Kannur by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan.
The priority continues to be getting aid to the victims of Wayanad’s devastating landslides as soon as possible, even while both leaders negotiate the difficulties of political speech and catastrophe response.
