As Kerala grapples with its worst natural disaster to date, search efforts for the 152 missing individuals entered their 11th day on Friday.
The tragedy, which has already claimed 413 lives, has primarily affected the Mundakayil and Punchirimatom regions of Wayanad.
State Tourism Minister P A Mohammed Riyas, leading the rescue and relief operations, announced that the current search mission will conclude on Friday.
However, a follow-up search is likely for Sunday, incorporating the assistance of local villagers who are intimately familiar with the terrain.
Teams have been diligently combing through areas near the Chaliyar River’s source in Wayanad, extending their search into the neighboring Malappuram district.
To date, authorities have recovered 78 bodies and over 150 body parts.
Friday’s developments took a significant turn as the Kerala High Court intervened, deciding to register a case concerning the disaster.
This decision came in response to media reports and a letter highlighting severe environmental exploitation in Wayanad and other sensitive regions.
Environmental experts have long warned of impending disasters in these fragile areas, yet authorities have ignored repeated signals from smaller incidents.
Successive Kerala governments have been criticized for dismissing concerns raised by experts like Kasturirangan and Madhav Gadgil.
Despite having four state-run agencies for environmental and climate change issues, Kerala struggles with slow progress due to a shortage of qualified experts.
The Pinarayi Vijayan government’s decision to commission the Kottayam-based Institute of Climate Change Studies for a report on the Wayanad landslide has also faced scrutiny.
Meanwhile, with the environment facing severe damage from tourist resorts and homestays encroaching on eco-sensitive areas, all eyes are now on the High Court to address these critical issues and hold accountable those responsible for the environmental neglect.
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