The Aryavarth Express Wayanad, Kerala: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday alleged delays by both the Kerala government and the Centre in rehabilitating victims of the July 2024 landslides in Wayanad, claiming that slow funding and administrative hurdles have hampered relief efforts.
Addressing the media, Priyanka Gandhi said the Congress party has undertaken its own housing initiatives for survivors of the disaster. She noted that foundation stones for houses being constructed by the Indian National Congress for Mundakkai-Chooralmala survivors would be laid in Kunnambatta, Kalpetta.
“We’ve done a lot for the rehabilitation of victims here on our own through the party. Today, we are inaugurating housing, and we believe we have contributed significantly,” she said.
Gandhi claimed that delays in identifying land and completing paperwork slowed the rehabilitation process. She alleged that the state government’s lack of cooperation contributed to the delay and said the project timeline had already been extended.
“There was a lot of delay in paperwork and land issues. Had there been more cooperation earlier, we would have completed this sooner. I am glad that we have now secured the required clearances,” she said.
The Congress leader also alleged that funding from the central government has been slow, which she described as a key factor affecting rehabilitation and other welfare schemes. “Central government funds are very slow, and that is delaying several schemes,” she said.
On July 30, 2024, devastating landslides struck Wayanad, killing around 300 people and destroying numerous homes and buildings. The disaster was among the deadliest in the state’s history.
Earlier, on March 29,Priyanka Gandhi inaugurated a scholarship distribution programme for higher education for landslide survivors. Recalling her visit to Wayanad after the tragedy, she said she witnessed firsthand the devastation and suffering faced by affected families.
