Idukki landslide: Muraleedharan raises power supply issue, says 'State failed the people'

Raising concerns over the inadequate healthcare facilities, road infrastructure in Kerala, Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Monday claimed that people weren't receiving power supply amid landslide in Idukki. Around 43 people have lost their lives after a landslide, triggered by torrential rains, occurred in a residential area in Rajamala of Kerala's Idukki district

Taking to Twitter, Muraleedharan slammed the Kerala Electricity Minister MM Mani stating that Idukki does not have an uninterrupted supply of electricity, and areas hit by landslide did not have power for more than four days.

He added that the state of Kerala failed the poor, innocent, and hardworking people of Idukki.

READ: Idukki landslide: Kerala CM declares ex-gratia of Rs.5 lakh for kin of deceased

Earlier after visiting the site of the landslide in Idukki district on Sunday, MoS MEA V Muraleedharan took a dig at the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government in Kerala. Terming it as a very tragic incident, he conveyed his condolences to the kin of the deceased. While acknowledging that Kerala is a developed state, he expressed shock at the "pathetic living conditions" of the plantation workers. 

READ: Idukki landslide: MoS MEA nails 'pathetic' living conditions of workers, takes dig at govt

The Idukki landslide

In an unfortunate incident, extreme rainfall led to a landslide at the Nyamakad estate of the Kannan Devan Hills Plantation Company on Friday. As per reports, at least 30 settlements home to nearly 78 people were buried under the debris. The police, a 50-member special fire force along with a National Disaster Response Force unit stationed in Idukki district jointly mounted rescue and relief operations amid inclement weather.

It is perceived that the area's remoteness, broken communication lines, heavy fog, and uninterrupted rainfall are impacting the rescue and relief operations. Moreover, the Idukki district is particularly vulnerable to landslides. The India Meteorological Department had issued a red alert for the Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Idukki, and Wayanad districts predicting extremely heavy rainfall. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan announced ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakh for the kin of those who lost their lives and asserted that the state government would bear the treatment cost of those injured in the landslide. 

READ: Idukki landslides claim 16 more lives as death toll rises to 42, rescue ops underway

READ: Death toll in landslide in Idukki district rises to 28