IDUKKI
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the government will ensure the rehabilitation of those affected in the Pettimudy landslip.
Mr. Vijayan accompanied by Governor Arif Muhammed Khan visited the landslip-hit areas of the Nayamakkad tea estate where four layams were buried under the debris with 55 bodies recovered till Thursday.
It is estimated that 15 persons were still missing in the August 7 landslip.
After a review meeting with the officials at Munnar, Mr. Vijayan said the government would ensure the rehabilitation of victims at Kavalappra and Puthoor, where landslips claimed many lives. He said that a portion of an area came down at Pettimudy, where only a few members of the families living on the lanes were left.
Those survived should be rehabilitated. The education of the children should be ensured, he said adding that building the houses on the same spot was not possible. New places to accommodate them should be considered.
The government was ready to build houses and ensure the education of the affected children, he said adding that the government looked forward to getting the support of the parental company in this regard.
He said the company had shifted the people from the landslip-prone areas to other layams. They were now without income, he said and added that the company should support them.
Mr. Vijayan said that issues such as repairing works of the estate lanes were brought to the attention of the company and the government expected a favourable decision on it. Mr. Vijayan was accompanied by Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan, Power Minister M.M. Mani and senior officials of various departments.
Meanwhile, Dean Kuriakose, MP, who also accompanied the Chief Minister, said there was no clarity on measures to be taken to mitigate the plight of the affected families at Pettimudy.
The Chief Minister said the government would provide ₹5 lakh each to the victims' families. The relief package would be implemented with the assistance of KDHP (Kanan Devan Hills Plantation) Ltd. The workers, however, had no land or money to construct houses, he added.
