Puthumala witnesses heart-wrenching scenes

PUTHUMALA: The scenes witnessed yesterday at Puthumala, where loved ones lost in the landslide are laid to rest, were heart‑wrenching. On the first anniversary of the landslide, relatives, friends, and locals streamed into the burial grounds where their dear ones sleep in eternal rest. Many of them broke down, weeping uncontrollably at the graves. Onlookers, too, were moved to tears. Some pressed their faces to the graves and kissed them, sobbing away their sorrows.

Landslide victims from various parts of Wayanad district gathered in the morning at Puthumala’s public cemetery, named 'July 30 Hrudayabhoomi'. Carrying flowers and sandalwood sticks, they paid floral tributes atop the graves, mourning deeply before them. Portraits of the 298 people who died in the Chooralmala and Puthumala tragedies were displayed at the site, prepared under the leadership of the Meppadi panchayat.

Guard of Honour

The commemorative program began at 11:30 a.m. with a Guard of Honour from the state government. Police personnel, led by District Police Chief Tapos Basumathari, offered the Guard of Honour before the portraits of the deceased. Revenue Minister K. Rajan, Ministers O.R. Kelu and P.A. Mohammed Riyas led the floral tribute. An interfaith prayer was conducted by Meppadi Juma Masjid Imam Mustaful Faizi, Shamsuddin Rahmani, Fr. Dani and Fr. Francis of Kappamkolli St. Sebastian’s Church, and P.R. Sreeraj Namboothiri, priest of Mundakkai Mariamman Temple, along with Advocate Babitha. Kalpetta MLA Adv. T. Siddique, District Panchayat President Samshad Marakkar, and District Collector Meghashree D.R. were also present.

Loans of Wayanad landslide victims should be written off: Priyanka Gandhi

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi has urged the Centre to write off the loans of Wayanad landslide victims. She asked during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha how those who lost their homes, farmland, and livelihoods in the disaster could be expected to repay loans.

Even a year after the tragedy, victims are still struggling to rebuild their lives. Seventeen families were completely wiped out in the Mundakkai–Chooralmala landslide. Over 1,600 buildings were destroyed, and hundreds of acres of farmland were lost. Rehabilitation could not be completed due to the unavailability of sufficient central funds.

Priyanka noted that Wayanad has been demanding funds for a year and that the request to declare the incident a national disaster has not yet been approved — a situation she described as “inadequate and unacceptable” with regard to Wayanad’s suffering.