Govt to form expert panel today to investigate landslip

Meppadi: CM V D Satheesan said govt would constitute an expert committee on Thursday to probe the landslip at Kalladi tunnel road construction site. “Construction of Kalladi-Anakkampoyil tunnel road will be temporarily suspended from both ends until probe is completed,” he said on Wednesday.

The probe will examine whether the project contractor committed any lapses.Satheesan said the immediate priority was to trace the five workers missing after the landslip. National disaster response force, state disaster response force, police and fire and rescue services are carrying out search operations in four sectors. The search will be extended to Meenakshi River on Thursday.Describing the landslip as an isolated incident, he urged people not to create the impression that the district had been affected, saying such misinformation could impact residents’ livelihoods.

He said police had registered an FIR and begun an investigation. Satheesan added that district administration and elected representatives would prepare a plan to rehabilitate people living in high-risk areas.He said all residents from affected areas were shifted to relief camps. He said the concerns of those accommodated in camps would be addressed and further inspections would be conducted in the area to determine additional measures if need arises.

Responding to questions on his earlier remark and those of ministers that the disaster was caused by the collapse of piled-up excavated soil, Satheesan said the statement was based on preliminary information available at the time. “Before I spoke, I had a discussion with the collector, PWD officials and viewed images. All of this was stated based on primary information because people should not panic,” he said.The CM arrived at Karipur airport by helicopter and travelled by road to Kalladi, reaching the site by 5pm. He inspected the affected area up to Meenakshi Bridge before visiting the relief camp at Govt Polytechnic College in Meppadi, where he interacted with evacuated residents. He later visited the injured undergoing treatment at Dr Moopen’s Medical College in Meppadi. He also met the families of the missing workers at Wayanad Collectorate.