NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written letters to Union Ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Harsh Vardhan and Nitin Gadkari seeking help to rehabilitate flood-hit Wayanad.
"The recent floods in Kerala have already claimed the lives of over a 100 people and uprooted lakhs of people from their homes," Rahul said in his letter to Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Harsh Vardhan.
"It is critical to strengthen the capacity of the existing healthcare infrastructure and provide additional manpower, medicines, temporary infrastructure to meet the critical healthcare needs of the affected communities," he added.
Rahul went on to share that during his recent visit to Wayanad, he "received representations regarding setting up medical relief camps staffed by health specialists in Nilambur."
"I hope that the MoHFW will take immediate action in this regard," he said.
In his letter to Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Rahul said, "While Kerala is still reeling under the devastating impact of the 2018 flood, the deluge this year has derailed the reconstruction process."
"My Parliamentary constituency Wayanad, is one of the worst affected areas. Landslides, road caving and other mishaps have caused extensive damage to the national highways. Restoration of damaged roads must be accorded highest priority for ensuring early recovery," he said.
Rahul further shared particulars of National Highway stretches in Wayanad that "need to be repaired on war-footing basis."
"I sincerely hope that under your leadership, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways extends all possible support to the brave people of Kerala in their hour of need," he said.
In his letter to Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Rahul wrote, "In the past, the Ministry of Rural Development has made special dispensation under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA natural calamities) in calamity affected Villages/Blocks/Taluks/Districts notified by the state government."
He added, "Furthermore, Section 3 (4) of the MGNREGA Act, 2005 empowers the central government to increase the number of days of employment beyond the guaranteed period. I would like to request you to expand the scope of works under MGNREGA for the state of Kerala for enabling the state take up needed flood rehabilitation works and also increase the minimum guaranteed days of employment to a family to 200 days."