Wayanad landslides: UPA's 2013 'no provision for national disaster' remark hindering Rahul Gandhi's demands
According to a parliamentary response delivered in 2013 by former Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mullappally Ramachandran, there is no formal provision for declaring a natural disaster as a national disaster under current Central government regulations
- Aug 10, 2024,
- Updated Aug 10, 2024 11:29 AM IST
A growing chorus of voices, led by local MP Rahul Gandhi, is calling for the declaration of the recent landslide in Wayanad as a national disaster. However, experts and officials emphasise that such a designation may lack grounding in existing government protocols.
According to a parliamentary response delivered in 2013 by former Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mullappally Ramachandran, there is no formal provision for declaring a natural disaster as a national disaster under current Central government regulations. The minister explained that the Indian government assesses calamities on a case-by-case basis, taking into account various factors including intensity, magnitude, and the capacity of state governments to respond.
"The Government of India adjudges a calamity of severe nature on a case-to-case basis," Ramachandran stated, "considering factors such as the level of relief assistance required and the efficacy of state-level response efforts."
He further noted that while there are no fixed prescribed norms for such designations, additional support from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) may be allocated to particularly severe incidents, contingent on established procedures.
Moreover, the responsibility for executing rescue and relief operations following natural disasters predominantly lies with the respective state governments, underscoring the necessity for local authorities to effectively manage the immediate aftermath of such events.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Wayanad on Saturday, August 10, to evaluate the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts following the recent landslides in the area.
He is expected to arrive in Kannaur around 11 AM, after which he will conduct an aerial survey of the landslide-affected regions in Wayanad.
At approximately 12:15 PM, the Prime Minister will visit ground zero, where he will receive updates from rescue teams about the ongoing evacuation operations. He aims to oversee the rehabilitation efforts to ensure that effective support reaches those impacted.
Additionally, the Prime Minister will visit a relief camp and a local hospital, where he will have the opportunity to meet with victims and survivors of the landslide, providing them with support during this difficult time.
A growing chorus of voices, led by local MP Rahul Gandhi, is calling for the declaration of the recent landslide in Wayanad as a national disaster. However, experts and officials emphasise that such a designation may lack grounding in existing government protocols.
According to a parliamentary response delivered in 2013 by former Minister of State for Home Affairs, Mullappally Ramachandran, there is no formal provision for declaring a natural disaster as a national disaster under current Central government regulations. The minister explained that the Indian government assesses calamities on a case-by-case basis, taking into account various factors including intensity, magnitude, and the capacity of state governments to respond.
"The Government of India adjudges a calamity of severe nature on a case-to-case basis," Ramachandran stated, "considering factors such as the level of relief assistance required and the efficacy of state-level response efforts."
He further noted that while there are no fixed prescribed norms for such designations, additional support from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) may be allocated to particularly severe incidents, contingent on established procedures.
Moreover, the responsibility for executing rescue and relief operations following natural disasters predominantly lies with the respective state governments, underscoring the necessity for local authorities to effectively manage the immediate aftermath of such events.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Wayanad on Saturday, August 10, to evaluate the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts following the recent landslides in the area.
He is expected to arrive in Kannaur around 11 AM, after which he will conduct an aerial survey of the landslide-affected regions in Wayanad.
At approximately 12:15 PM, the Prime Minister will visit ground zero, where he will receive updates from rescue teams about the ongoing evacuation operations. He aims to oversee the rehabilitation efforts to ensure that effective support reaches those impacted.
Additionally, the Prime Minister will visit a relief camp and a local hospital, where he will have the opportunity to meet with victims and survivors of the landslide, providing them with support during this difficult time.