The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the state government to ensure the timely disbursement of financial relief to the injured and the families of those who died in the recent Wayanad tunnel landslide. The court also demanded to know why laborers were present at the site despite official orders halting all construction activities.
These directives from the division bench, comprising Justice A. K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Preeta A. K., came on the same day the disaster’s death toll rose to seven following the recovery of another body from the debris. The landslide occurred on July 7 at the construction site of the Anakkompoyil-Meppadi tunnel project, which is designed to connect the Kozhikode and Wayanad districts.
Funding and Recovery Directives
The bench ordered that both the interim compensation and the medical treatment costs for the injured be temporarily billed to the account of the tunnel project. The judges noted that the source of final recovery for these funds would be determined at a later date. Additionally, the court instructed the government to ensure that the recovered bodies of the deceased are returned to their families without unnecessary delay.
Disaster Response and Search Operations
During the proceedings, state officials explained that search operations are relying on manual labor because thick muck and slush at the disaster site have rendered cadaver dogs ineffective in locating missing persons.
The government also detailed the timeline of suspension orders at the site, stating that all internal operations were ordered to halt on May 25, followed by a comprehensive stop-work directive issued on July 5. In response, the bench questioned why laborers were still at the location two days after the complete shutdown order and demanded a formal explanation before the next hearing date.
Background of the Case
The court issued these orders as part of an ongoing, self-initiated petition dating back to 2024. The High Court had opened the case to improve natural disaster prevention and management across Kerala following the catastrophic July 2024 landslides in Mundakkai and Chooralmala villages, which resulted in more than 200 deaths.
