Last Updated on 10/08/2024 by wccexam Desk
More than 300 people lost their lives due to the landslide following heavy rains in Kerala. Recently, there has been a demand in Parliament to declare the Wayanad landslide as a national disaster. This demand was raised by the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. Targeting the opposition, BJP leader V Muralidharan has shared on his social media the statement given by the then Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullapally Ramachandran in the UPA government, in which it was said that there is no such concept under the guidelines issued by the government, due to which a natural disaster should be declared a national disaster.
In fact, in the year 2013, when the Congress-led coalition UPA was in power, the opposition had demanded that a natural disaster be declared a national disaster. At that time, the then Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullapally Ramachandran said in his reply that there is no rule to declare a natural disaster as a national disaster under the government guidelines.
In his reply to the opposition’s demand, the then Minister of State for Home Affairs said that the Government of India decides on a severe natural disaster on a case-by-case basis. Among other things, the intensity and consequences of the disaster, the level of relief assistance, the capacity of the state government to deal with the problem are also taken into consideration.
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In the context of a natural disaster, immediate relief and response assistance is the primary responsibility. There is no fixed set rule. However, additional assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) is also considered after following the established procedure for disasters of ‘severe nature’.
He also said that the concerned State Governments are primarily responsible for taking necessary rescue and relief measures in the wake of natural disasters.
PM visits Wayanad
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kerala on Saturday morning, where he conducted an aerial survey of the landslide-affected areas in Wayanad, reviewed the relief and rehabilitation efforts of the people and also visited the hospital. During this time, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was also present with the PM.
Let us tell you that on July 30, 2024, a massive landslide occurred in Choorlamala and Mundakkai in Wayanad, Kerala after heavy rains, causing massive devastation. More than 400 people lost their lives in the landslide, while 150 people are still missing. The CM said that the final death toll will be confirmed after the DNA test of the recovered bodies.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)