'Govt did not learn lessons from previous experiences', cannot evade responsibility, says BJP

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP Kerala President Rajeev Chandrasekhar has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic landslide in Wayanad, saying the disaster is extremely painful. He paid tribute to those who lost their lives and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families. He also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.

"The families of those who died and the people injured in the disaster should receive assistance without delay. Rescue operations must be intensified to find those who are still missing. The Bharatiya Janata Party extends its full support to strengthen the ongoing rescue efforts," he said.

At the same time, Rajeev Chandrasekhar alleged that the government has now admitted that the disaster was caused by the large-scale dumping of soil in an unscientific manner.

"However, the government and the Public Works Department (PWD) cannot escape responsibility by placing the entire blame on the contractor," he said.

According to the minutes of a meeting held on June 25, around 100,000 cubic metres of soil had accumulated at the construction site. The contractor had reportedly requested that a suitable location be provided to dispose of the excavated soil. Despite recognizing the potential danger in advance, the government failed to take timely action, he alleged.

He further said that reports indicate a decision had been taken to shift workers and nearby residents to safer locations in the event of heavy rainfall.

"That decision was not implemented effectively. The warnings and decisions remained only on paper, and that ultimately led to today's tragedy," Rajeev Chandrasekhar said.

Rejecting the government's claim that the Public Works Department had no role in the incident, he said the argument was "completely false."

"The Kozhikode Division of the Public Works Department was responsible for supervising the tunnel road construction project. It was the department's legal and administrative responsibility to ensure that the contractor followed safety standards and implemented the government's directions.

"If those instructions were not followed, officials should have stopped the work and taken the necessary steps to eliminate the risk. Instead, blaming the contractor alone is merely an attempt to cover up the government's own failure," he said.