Governor, CM visit landslide site as toll crosses 55

TRIVANDRUM: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan visited the site of the landslide in Idukki on Thursday as the death count went up to 55.

They spent 15 minutes there interacting with survivors and local people and evaluated relief work.

The visit came as the search by National Disaster Response Force ( NDRF) with the assistance of police, firefighters and villagers completed a week.

Fiteen people, all belonging to the families of impoverished plantation workers living in four layers of layams (line houses), are still missing.

The tragedy struck at Rajamala, 7,000 feet above sea level near the tourist town of Munnar, last Thursday.

The police arrested Penpillai Orumai (women’s unity) leader Gomathi Augustine fighting for the rights of workers, for trying to block their motorcade. Augustine, who led a nine-day strike that ended ater receiving assurance to increase their wages in 2015, said the government had gone back on promises.

She said there was no improvement in their living conditions as promised by the government even ater five years.

Ommen Chandy, the then chief minister of the state, and his labour minister Shibu Baby John went to Munnar to negotiate with them.

The all-women strike, with some 5000 workers occupying the touristy town and bringing it to a standstill, ended ater they received a 30 per cent increase in wages.

He had also appointed a commission to look into their issues and suggest solutions, but the recommendations received by his successor were gathering dust since.

Addressing a press conference later, Vijayan said his government would ensure rehabilitation of families displaced by the landslide.

He praised the rescue workers for “carrying out a commendable work” with the involvement of forces and the local community.

“Very few of the family have survived the calamity. They have children, and we need to ensure their education,” he said.

“Building new houses in the area is difficult. We need to find a new place to rehabilitate them. We also hope the company (Kanan Devan Tea) would come up with a package.”

He promised to bear the expenses of the treatment of the survivors and their children’s education. He said he had asked the company to take care of them.

Last week, he had announced a compensation of Rs 500,000 to the family of the victims while Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered Rs 200,000 each.