According to a press release issued by the state government, an ex-gratia payment of ₹5 lakh from the CMDRF was made available for the bereaved families of those who died in the landslide accident at the Kalladi Tunnel Phase-3 project in Wayanad district. As per the announcement, financial assistance up to ₹2 lakh would be provided based on the seriousness of injury for the treatment of those injured in the accident.
An expert committee has been ordered to investigate the cause of the Kalladi accident and submit a comprehensive report. The committee will examine whether the contractor breached any contractual terms related to the tunnel construction, the exact circumstances leading to the incident, and compliance with the environmental clearances granted by the Central Government and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Construction work on the tunnel will remain suspended and will only resume once the expert committee’s report has been received.
Earlier, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Fire and Rescue teams intensified their search operations along the Meenachipuzha river to locate Vikram Rana, the sole missing person, as rescue efforts entered their fifth day following the landslide. Kerala Minister T Siddique stated that a dedicated team is conducting a detailed examination of the river stretch, noting that visibility has significantly improved since excavation work in the upper reaches was halted. He explained that previous searches were hindered by muddy water caused by active work upstream, but with operations suspended, the water has cleared, allowing for a thorough examination. He added that the mud and soil dumped in the area would be removed entirely.
The intensified operation follows the minister’s announcement that rescue teams would focus their attention on Zone 2 of the landslide site, where a detailed excavation might help locate Rana, who worked as the project manager.
The death toll in the Wayanad landslide rose to seven after rescue teams recovered the body of Rajesh, a resident of East Midnapore in West Bengal, from the Meenachipuzha river downstream on Friday. The body was identified by family members and transferred for a post-mortem examination before arrangements were made to transport him to his hometown. The landslide originally occurred near the tunnel construction site at Kalladi in Meppadi Grama Panchayat on July 7, burying large sections of the worksite under several feet of debris. Personnel from the NDRF, Fire and Rescue Services, and other agencies are continuing their search and rescue operations using heavy machinery under highly challenging conditions.
Also read: Three killed, eight injured in Wayanad landslide at tunnel site
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