Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who laid the foundation stone for a township for the survivors on Elstone Estate near Wayanad on Thursday, March 27, rightly said that what made this possible was people’s unity. No calamity can break the spirit of the people, Pinarayi said, adding, “if the people are with us, nothing is impossible. We will survive. That is the message of the ongoing works.” The Chief Minister said disaster struck Wayanad when the State was facing a grave financial crisis caused by successive floods and a pandemic. The State, however, survived despite the odds stacked against it.

The CM regretted that, but for a repayable loan, the Union Government did not extend any help to overcome a difficult situation. “Going by our experience, we can’t expect anything from them. Despite these problems, the rehabilitation works could go ahead,” he pointed out.

Pinarayi also used the occasion to thank Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who had sent him Rs 20 crore to build 100 houses for the survivors. He also praised the initiative of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), which provided funds to build 100 houses. Last but not the least, a section of school and college students under the National Service Scheme handed over Rs 10 crore. “There is no way by which we can express our gratitude to them,” he said. Of great help was the directive, from time to time, of the Kerala High Court to the Union Government. A portal, https://wayanadtownship.kerala.gov.in/, through which sponsors can offer contributions to the rehabilitation works has also been put in place.

Revenue Minister K. Rajan, who presided over the event, said no survivor would be left alone. The efforts would be to recover everything that the people of Mundakkai and Chooralmala lost. Elstone Estate in Kalpetta and Nedumpala Estate in Meppadi were taken over for rehabilitation on the 63rd day of the disaster.

An estimated 402 survivors are being provided houses or financial compensation. There are as many as 242 beneficiaries in the first list, of whom 175 opted for houses. The 1000 sq ft houses will have two bedrooms, attached bathroom/toilet, living room/dining area, kitchen, work area, sit-out and a study room.

Work on the township will be completed by the end of this financial year. Four committees will oversee the progress of the works. One will be headed by the Chief Minister. The second one will be led by the Chief Secretary, the third by special officer S. Suhas, and the fourth by the District Collector.

Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court came down heavily on the Union Government for not filing an affidavit on the extension of the March 31 deadline fixed for completion of the rehabilitation projects for the survivors of the landslides in Wayanad on July 30, 2024 using the Centre’s financial assistance and also regarding the steps taken to transfer the assistance into the account of the implementation agency for the projects.

In his remarks, Justice A. K. Jayasankaran Nambiar said the Union Government could not take lightly the Court’s directive. The Court also frowned on the Union Government’s attempts to muddy the water and try to fish out of it.

The Court also voiced its strong disapproval of the recommendation of the State-level Bankers’ Committee for moratorium and restructuring of loans taken by the survivors of the Wayanad disaster.

The recommendation, the Court observed was, “not at all satisfying. It is not fair on the part of the bankers’ committee to act like this. We cannot agree to it.”

The Court specifically asked the Union Government why it could not write off the loans given the magnitude of the disaster and the untold sufferings of the survivors. Unfortunately, the Union Government’s counsel sought to take refuge under legalities and technicalities, to avoid giving a direct answer! The Centre, the court observed, had waived agriculture loans during the 2008-09 period. This being the reality, “it is not as though the Centre is powerless to take a decision on the waiver of loans.”

The Court has also asked the Union Government to file an affidavit, by April 7, clarifying what the proposals of the bankers’ committee were and what decision the Centre had taken on these. Further hearing on the petition will be held on April 9.

In another positive development, the Court also refused to issue an interim order sought by Elstone Tea Estate Limited to restrain the State Government from taking over its land for setting up a model township for the Wayanad disaster survivors, and allowed the Government to take symbolic possession of the land. The Government was allowed to take symbolic possession on depositing Rs 26 crore towards compensation before the High Court Registrar, subject to the rights and contention of the estate company.

It is a matter of regret that the Opposition could not refrain from playing politics even on such a momentous occasion. True, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) V. D. Satheesan, Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader P. K. Kunhalikutty attended the function. The LoP who spoke on the occasion said things could have been done much earlier, forgetting the fact that the delay was due to the negative tactics adopted by the estate owners to prevent the Government from taking over the land for rehabilitation . (IPA Service)