Thrissur: Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Tuesday said it was the responsibility of the state government to chalk out a detailed rehabilitation plan for those affected by the landslides in Wayanad, now that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured resources would not be an issue for the same.
Responding to reporters' queries here, Khan said the Prime Minister has suggested preparing a long-term plan to rehabilitate landslide victims, and assured that resource constraints will not hinder its implementation. "I feel very confident after this assurance from the PM. It is a blanket statement," he said. He also pointed out that help for the victims came from all quarters across the country.
Khan said that on Monday he received Rs 3.5 lakh from Sathrughna Swami temple towards the relief and rehabilitation work. Besides that, his office has been receiving cheques from other parts of the country which have been sent to the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund. "So people are coming forward in a big way. All over the country, the people are sharing the grief and pain of those affected by the landslides in Wayanad. So, now it is for the state government to make a detailed plan," he added.
Asked whether the state government was on the right path, Khan said, "It is not a question of being right or wrong. It is a time of emergency and in this emergency, all of us stand on the same page."
Major landslides hit the Mundakkai and Chooralamala regions of Wayanad on July 30 almost decimating both the areas. According to the state government, till Monday, the landslides killed 229 people and over 130 are still missing. Of the total bodies recovered, 51 are yet to be identified.
(With PTI inputs)
