298 persons killed in Wayanad landslides: Govt tells Parliament
New Delhi (PTI): A total of 298 people were killed during the landslides that hit Kerala's Wayanad district last year, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday.
Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said that while the Centre does not maintain a central data of deaths/missing persons due to disasters, including landslides, the Kerala government informed it that the total number of deaths due to the landslide in Wayanad was 298.
Out of these, 32 missing persons have been declared as deceased, the minister told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.
Asked about the compensation provided by the Centre to the state, Rai said that based on a report of the inter-ministerial central team (IMCT), the central government approved an amount of Rs 153.47 crore, subject to the adjustment of 50 per cent of balance available in the state disaster response fund account, for the landslides, flash flood of 2024.
The amount also includes assistance for the air bills for utilising the services of the Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters for rescue and relief, as per actual, and actual expenditure for the clearance of debris, he said.
Besides, an amount of Rs 388 crore (Rs 291.20 crore central share plus Rs 96.80 crore state share) has been allocated to the Government of Kerala for the financial year 2024-25 in SDRF, he said.
The instalment of Rs 145.60 crore of the central share was released on July 31, 2024.
The second instalment of Rs 145.60 crore of the central share was also released on October 1, 2024 in advance to the state, the minister said.
He added that the Kerala Accountant General reported a balance of Rs 394.99 crore in its SDRF account as on April 1, 2024.
Thus, "sufficient fund" is available in the SDRF account of the state for relief operations, he said.
Rai said Kerala conducted a Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) estimating a total requirement of Rs 2,219 crore for recovery and reconstruction plan.
The landslides destroyed large tracts of three Wayanad villages--Punchirimattom, Chooralmala and Mundakkai--apart from some in Attamala when the disaster struck on July 30 last year.
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Eight people, including four minor boys, held in Sikkim for rape of 13-year-old girl
Gangtok: Police have arrested eight people, including four minors and a woman in Gyalshing district on Sunday, for involvement in a case of sexual harassment and also rape of a 13-year-old girl.
A case was filed and eight people were arrested after the Child Welfare Committee gave a complaint to the police on Friday regarding the matter. Police have registered the case under various sections of the BNS and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Police officers have said that the Committee was informed by the girl’s school about her situation. The girl revealed during counseling that a woman in her locality had been asking her for help in domestic work. She also informed the police that the woman had forced her to have sex with her husband as well as two other men in exchange for money. Additionally the victim told the counselor that four boys had sexually assaulted her over the last one year.
Police have arrested the woman, her husband and the two men and also taken the four minors into custody based on the statement of the girl.
It is learned that the girl is receiving counseling and medical treatment under the care of the Child Welfare Committee.
Further investigation is underway.
