Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides: 32 people missing in Wayanad disaster will be presumed dead

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/THRISSUR: Minister K Rajan said in Thrissur that 32 people missing in the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide disaster will be presumed dead.

The missing must be treated as dead if families are to be provided with financial aid and housing. Official confirmation is needed for that. Two committees have been formed for this purpose at the local and state level.

Revenue officials should collect FIR details related to missing persons from police stations. In the special investigation report prepared after verifying the FIR, it should be recorded that the missing person could not be traced. The local committee comprising the village officer, panchayat secretary and station house officer should prepare a list of missing persons and submit it to the district disaster management authority based on this list. The district disaster management authority should forward the list to the state-level committee with clear recommendations. This list will be scrutinized by the state-level committee.

The committee members are Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Principal Secretary (Revenue and Disaster Management) and Principal Secretary (LSG). The report will be submitted to the state government after scrutiny by the state-level committee.

The death certificate will be issued to the family members after one month of publication of the list. The process of providing financial assistance and housing will be initiated after this. The minister said that the first phase will be completed by January. The statute normally requires a wait of up to seven years for missing persons to be considered dead.

Proceedings

• A First Information Report regarding a missing person should be filed by the next of kin at the police station for the area where the person resided.
• An affidavit regarding the missing person, given by the next of kin and certified by a notary public, should be kept as a permanent record.
• The Tehsildar/Sub-Divisional Magistrate should conduct a detailed inquiry into the missing person.
• Based on the inquiry, the Tehsildar/Sub-Divisional Magistrate shall pass an order with reasons for the provisional conclusion that the missing person is dead.
• A period of 30 days should be allowed for submission of objections.