Kerala Protests Centre’s Refusal to Label Wayanad Floods a ‘National Disaster’; Bandh Called for Nov 19

Thiruvananthapuram- The Kerala government and the opposition Congress party have called for a shutdown in Wayanad district on Tuesday in protest against the Centre's decision not to declare the July landslides and flash floods a "national disaster." The decision, announced Friday, has drawn sharp criticism from both the ruling CPI-M-led Left and the Congress-led UDF, who allege a "negative attitude" towards the state and the affected region.

The UDF and Left parties, led by the Congress and CPI-M, respectively, announced a total shutdown in Wayanad on Tuesday to protest the "negative attitude" towards Kerala and Wayanad.

State Revenue Minister K. Rajan expressed surprise at the Centre's stance, calling it "unfortunate" and suggesting a deliberate attempt to sideline Kerala. However, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, George Kurian, maintained that the Centre is adhering to established rules and procedures, denying any bias against Kerala. The Centre's justification for their decision lies in the existing guidelines of the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), which, according to Union Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai, do not provide for declaring a calamity as a 'National Disaster' after the event.

Despite Kerala's request for a Rs 2,000-crore relief package for Wayanad, the Centre has allocated Rs 388 crore to the state for the 2024-25 financial year under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). The Centre also highlighted the availability of Rs 394.99 crore in Kerala's SDRF account as of April 1, 2024, as per information shared by their counsel at the Kerala High Court on Friday. The Centre will make the final decision on sanctioning funds to Kerala before the end of the month.