Govt orders twin probe into Kalladi landslide, tunnel construction works suspended

KALPETTA: The Kerala government has ordered a twin probe into the landslide near the Anakkampoyil-Kalladi tunnel road project in Wayanad that claimed three lives. The government has also directed that construction work on the tunnel project be suspended until further notice.

The first investigation will examine the circumstances that led to the landslide. The second will focus on whether the construction company complied with the environmental conditions laid down by the Central Government while granting approval for the project.

Officials said the project is subject to 50 environmental guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Environment. Construction will resume only after the investigation is completed and the site is declared safe. A committee to conduct the inquiry is expected to be announced on Thursday.

Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan announced the decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting during a press conference on Wednesday. The Chief Minister said the government would provide Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the family of each person who died in the landslide. The government will also arrange to transport the bodies of the victims to their hometowns and bear the medical expenses of those injured.

Search operations for the five people who remain missing are continuing under the leadership of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The government will also investigate reports that a landslide occurred on the hill above the accident site.

Officials said the district administration had repeatedly asked the construction company to remove the excavated soil that had been piled up near the site. Preliminary findings suggest that the failure to remove the soil may have contributed to the disaster. A high-level engineering team led by the Public Works Department Secretary will carry out the technical investigation.

Search for five missing persons continues

Rescue teams were unable to trace the five people missing in the landslide on Wednesday. The missing have been identified as Mohammed Imran, Bikram Singh Rana, Rahul Sharma, Rakesh, and Ansari.

Search operations began around 7 a.m. and were expanded to four different sectors. Rescue teams also deployed sniffer dogs to assist in the search.

Heavy rain, strong currents, and poor visibility made the search in the Meenakshi River extremely difficult. During the operation, rescuers recovered parts of vehicles from the river, but no missing persons were found. Excavators were also used to clear debris, but the search remained unsuccessful. The search operation will continue on Thursday. Revenue Minister A. P. Anil Kumar and Agriculture Minister T. Siddique remained at the site on Wednesday to coordinate the rescue efforts.