Environment minister blames illegal mining and unregulated commercial activity for Kerala landslide
Illegal Mining, uncontrolled construction and unregulated commercial activity along with extreme heavy rainfall led to the landslides that claimed 30 lives and injured at least 222 persons on July 30.
Bhupender Yadav on Monday, accused local politicians in Kerala of allowing illegal human habitation in eco sensitive areas and permitting encroachment. He also claimed that the left front government in the state was avoiding a committee headed by former director general of forests, Sanjay Kumar who has been given the uphill task with identifying ecologically sensitive areas in the Western Ghats.
Kerala Forest Minister AK Saseendran described Yadav’s comments as unfortunate and schismatic at a time when the crisis demanded unity. He accused the union minister of preparing legal and political background for the Centre to deny Kerala State Ministry’s request of declaring the Wayanad landslides a National disaster.
This took place after Amit Shah, India’s home minister claimed that the state ignored repetitive warnings about a natural calamity in Wayanad. Shah told Parliament on July 31 that besides warnings sent seven days in advance, additional warnings were issued on July 24 and 25. “On July 26, a warning was issued that there was a chance of heavy rainfall more than 20 cm and chances of landslides”, he told the Rajya Sabha.
The minister claimed that the state govt had ignored the warnings and did not respond to the arrival of National Disaster Response Force battalions. However the state minister countered that NDRF came to the rescue at the State’s request and not at the centre’s.
