Centre forgot the poor of Wayanad but waived off huge loans of businessmen: Disaster Management Authority in HC

KOCHI: The State Disaster Management Authority has informed the High Court that even though the central government has waived off huge loans of businessmen, the nominal amounts of the flood victims in Wayanad are not being waived off.

The affidavit was filed by the Authority Member Secretary Dr Sekhar L Kuriakose in the case taken suo motu by the High Court on the Wayanad issue. The Centre did not provide special assistance for the relief. No decision has been taken on all the three applications of the state. The demand to notify it as a disaster of an extreme nature was also not accepted. If that was done, then there would have been global assistance for reconstruction.

The amount remaining in the State Disaster Response Fund is only Rs 782.99 crore. This is not for the Mundakkai-Chooralmala area alone. There is also a reply to the Centre's criticism that the revised estimate for Wayanad was not submitted. The explanation is that the central team has not prescribed a time frame for this.

Weather warnings must be made effective

• The Central Weather Warning System should be made more efficient for faster preparedness.
• Flood warning centres should be increased. The flood alert location should be linked to the national authority website
• Automatic weather stations should also be installed in high ranges or satellite surveillance should be introduced
• Permission should be given immediately to install rain monitoring radar at Pazhassiraja College campus in Wayanad.
• The radar in Kochi should be upgraded and the one in Thiruvananthapuram should be digitized.
• Trained staff should be deployed at the Cyclone Warning Centre in Thiruvananthapuram.
• An official of the Central Meteorological Department should be deputed for coordination in every district.

Hill Stations: Report submitted

Environment Department Secretary Ratan Kelkar submitted a report on the capacity to support people and vehicles at hill stations. The figures of visits to 37 hill stations in 2023 were presented. Scientific data is being collected in 8742 residential areas. There is also information such as waste management facilities and water availability. The court will examine the report next week.