Wayanad landslides: Schools in affected areas to commence soon, says Minister

Wayanad(Kerala), Aug 6 (PTI) Kerala General Education and Labour Minister V Sivankutty on Tuesday said that classes will soon commence in the schools in landslides-hit Wayanad which are being used as relief camps now and financial assistance will be provided to workers affected by the disaster.

Sivankutty said that many schools were functioning as relief camps and after holding a meeting with teachers, PTA and other stakeholders it was decided to commence classes within 10-20 days.

Prior to commencement of classes, all basic facilities will be improved in the schools.

This is in accordance with the directions of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to ensure that education of children in the landslides-hit areas is not affected or hampered in any way.

The General Education Department said that 36 children have died and 17 have gone missing in the landslides while 316 were relocated to relief camps and five are undergoing treatment.

It also said that 276 students lost textbooks, 438 lost other study materials in the disaster.

In this background, alternative arrangements have been made for continuing the studies of students of the Vellarmala Government Vocational Higher Secondary school and the Mundakkai government lower primary school, which were ruined due to mud and other debris flowing into them in the landslides.

The arrangements would be made in a hall owned by the Meppadi grama panchayat and the Meppadi government higher secondary school, the department said.

The Minister further said the Labour Board has decided to provide financial assistance to the labourers who got injured in the landslides and to the next of kin of workers who died in the disaster.

The migrant workers will also be provided financial assistance, including for their treatment.

Sivankutty said Rs one lakh as a first installment will be provided to families of labourers who died in the landslides.

On Monday, the death toll due to the landslides rose to 226.

Search and rescue operations are continuing in the landslides-hit areas. PTI