THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Between August 8 and 19, the state received 362 per cent excess rainfall. Idukki district alone received 568 per cent excess rainfall. “But the state received no indication of this unexpected rainfall,” the CM said.
Pinarayi stoutly defended the rescue and relief work supervised by the Revenue Department and the KSEB, which is pat in the middle of a storm over allegations of dam mismanagement aggravating the floods. He also rejected Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala’s demand for special tribunals, saying that it would only lead to unnecessary delays in rehabilitation.
The CM said reconstruction measures would be discussed on wider platforms and guidelines would be finalised by the Cabinet to avoid delays. He also reiterated his reservations about allowing construction in landslide- and flood-prone regions, especially in Idukki. But a final decision will be taken only after scientific studies, he said.
Kerala Congress (M) leader K M Mani argued that a blanket ban on construction in Idukki is impractical, although the region had reported widespread landslips. The CM responded that there would be no ban on agriculture in such regions. But an introspection is needed on whether people should continue to reside in vulnerable regions, he said.
The state government plans to strengthen the Community Rescue Volunteer Scheme started in connection with the Fire and Rescue Services as part of mobilising active public involvement in disaster management, he said.“It was started in some places as a volunteer force in 2017. It has to be strengthened with more people. They will be trained to respond to contingencies,” he said.
He was responding to MLAs’ demand that the Fire and Rescue Services need to be strengthened and modernised. The service will be modernised with new equipment, he said. The government intends to upgrade the services’ scuba rescue training institute in Fort Kochi to an Institute for Advanced Training in Water Rescue, he said. The government will study the state’s experiences in the flood. Whatever changes needed will be made,” he said.