Kerala CM Slams Union Environment Minister Over Wayanad Landslide Claims

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday criticized Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav for alleging that unauthorized human settlements, land encroachments, and illegal mining, with the complicity of the local government, were to blame for the recent catastrophic landslides in Wayanad, which resulted in over 350 fatalities.

The Chief Minister condemned the Union Minister for insulting the victims of the disaster with such claims. "Are the estate workers and ordinary people who lived on small plots of land and perished in the landslide the so-called unauthorized settlers?" he asked at a press conference.

"Anyone with even a rudimentary understanding of Kerala's hilly regions would know that the residents cannot be labeled as unauthorized settlers," stated the chief minister. Pinarayi remarked that the union minister's claim attributing the landslide in Mundakkai to illegal mining was peculiar, noting that the closest quarry is 10.2 kilometers away from the affected area.

The Chief Minister highlighted that the migration to Kerala's hilly regions is not a recent phenomenon but spans centuries. The unique lives and cultures that have emerged in these challenging terrains boast a rich history. "It is unjust for the Union Minister to participate in propaganda that unjustly labels these residents as encroachers, disregarding their historical roots."

Pinarayi mentioned reports of the Union Government soliciting scientists to pen articles against Kerala regarding the Wayanad disaster. Media reports imply that the Centre is pressuring scientists to compose pieces and express views that criticize the State Government amidst the landslide incident.

The Chief Minister has stated that there has been an attempt to rally scientists against the Kerala Government, allegedly via the Press Information Bureau. These allegations seem credible when read alongside with the Union Minister's recent remarks.