THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has ordered a dual inquiry into the tragedy at the construction site of the Wayanad tunnel road project, Chief Minister VD Satheesan announced during a press conference.
The two-pronged investigation will include a technical and legal evaluation of the project site, as well as a thorough review to determine whether the contracting company strictly complied with the conditions and directives laid down by the Central Government while granting environmental clearance. Construction work on the landmark tunnel road will remain suspended and will only resume after both investigative reports are submitted and cleared, the Chief Minister clarified. The government has also declared an ex-gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh to the families of those who lost their lives in the disaster.
Responding to questions, Satheesan, said he was ridiculed earlier by the CPM, when he had flagged the need for conducting serious environmental studies before going ahead with the tunnel project. After the initial hesitation, the Union government approved the project with 50 strict instructions, considering the fragile and sensitive eco system.
The Chief Minister also clarified that no share transfer has happened in the Adani - MSC deal in the operating company of Vizhinjam International Seaport. He clarified that the deal will not complete without the approval of the state government.
“There would be no compromise when it comes to the interest of the state government,” he said. He also clarified that the proposal needs to get approval from the Union government before the state cabinet takes a decision. He criticised the CPM for taking a U turn on the MSC deal after the party mouthpiece supported the deal as a vision of the LDF government. Satheesan clarified that he kept the port portfolio because it was his pet project and it would be better monitored from the CM’s office. He also spoke about setting a public portal to monitor the projects undertaken by various departments in the 100-day programme of the government.