A high-level probe has been ordered by the government to ascertain whether a private check-dam with holding capacity of 4 lakh litres of water atop the hillock had led to the massive landslip in the hilly region of Kattipara at Thamarassery in Kozhikode that claimed the lives of 13.
The Chief Minister announced this while intervening during the reply to a notice for an adjournment motion moved by Parakkal Abdulla of the IUML and others in the Assembly on Monday on the calamities caused by monsoon fury last week.
The team comprising Deputy Collector in-charge of Disaster Management, District Officer, Soil Conservation Department, official of the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), panchayat secretary, among others, had been asked to look into whether the check-dam had led to the trail of destruction in the hilly region, Mr. Vijayan said.
The Chief Minister intervened after Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the landslip was a “man-made-disaster” and sought details of those who had granted permission for construction of the check-dam in the landslip-prone area. Mr. Chennithala also blamed Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan and the government for the delay in rushing the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from their base in Thrissur to the landslip site in Kozhikode district.
Rescue and relief
The Chief Minister and the Revenue Minister denied the charges and said there was no lapse on the part of the government in rescue and relief operations. “The Ministers of Revenue, Labour and Transport camped there and coordinated the rescue and relief through the District Collector, Kozhikode. All sections of the people extended help,” the Chief Minister said.
Mr. Vijayan said it was not practical as suggested by Mr. Abdulla to shift those in the hilly areas of the State as one portion of Kerala would need to be shifted. The Chief Minister said steps would be taken for cleaning the Kuttiyani canal.
To E.P. Jayarajan’s suggestion that the government should purchase a helicopter for handling such emergencies, the Revenue Minister said the government would consider the suggestion. K.B. Ganesh Kumar suggested using the aircraft of the State-owned RAGATT.
Describing the landslip at Kattipara as the worst in the State in recent times, the Revenue Minister said monsoon fury between June 11 and 15 had caused varying degree of damage in the 14 districts.
To date, 56 persons had died in monsoon-related incidents and four people were missing. A total of 235 houses had been destroyed completely and 5,022 houses partially damaged. The total crop loss in the State was estimated to the tune of ₹71.39 crore. Value of the property, including houses destroyed, was estimated at ₹8.48 crore. The Revenue Minister said 115 camps were opened and 5,520 families were shifted here.
Earlier, raising the issue, Mr. Abdulla demanded a special package for Kozhikode, which bore the brunt of the monsoon fury and stationing of a unit of the National Disaster Response Force in the district. The Opposition staged a walkout after Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan denied leave for the motion.
