Wayanad disaster relief: Kerala govt asserting its right, not seeking charity, says minister
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Revenue Minister K Rajan on Friday came down heavily on the Centre for withholding relief funds for the Wayanad landslide survivors and said that the state is asserting its right and not seeking charity.
The government has requested the Centre to declare the landslide that hit the Chooralmala and Mundakai regions in Wayanad a national disaster. However, they have not taken any action on listing the disaster in the category as per the NDRF norms and "intentionally neglecting the state," he said.
The minister accused the union government of deliberately delaying disaster relief to Kerala, describing it as a challenge to the state.
He pointed out that the Centre had failed to provide a clear response to Kerala’s requests for assistance.
Rajan also dismissed the union government's claim that funds are available in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), calling it misleading.
He said that the state would not accept the Centre’s stance and would continue to fight for Kerala’s rightful claims.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court will consider the case related to the Wayanad tragedy on Friday.
"The suo moto case registered by the High Court will come up before the court on Friday and we are looking for the stand of the union government in this regard," the minister said.
The disaster, which struck on July 30, devastated large parts of three villages --Punchirimattam, Chooralmala, and Mundakkai--along with sections of Attamala in Wayanad.
As per the government, the deadly disaster claimed 231 lives, while 47 people are still missing.
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China confirms its support to Pakistan during four-day conflict with India
Beijing (PTI): China, for the first time, has confirmed that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during the four-day conflict with India last year, official media reports here said.
China's state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China's (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of China’s advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle design.
Zhang had provided technical support to Pakistan during the four-day war last May, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported, quoting CCTV.
Pakistan's air force operates a fleet of Chinese-made J-10CE jets, produced by an AVIC subsidiary.
"At the support base, we frequently heard the roar of fighter jets taking off and the constant wail of air-raid sirens. By late morning, in May, the temperature was already approaching 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). It was a real ordeal for us, both mentally and physically,” Zhang said.
What drove his team was the "desire to do an even better job with on site support” and to ensure their equipment could “truly perform at its full combat potential”, Zhang told CCTV.
“That wasn’t just a recognition of the J10CE; it was also a testament to the deep bond we formed through working side by side, day in and day out,” he said.
