Wayanad landslides LIVE | Kerala CM: We will build a new, safer township for survivors

Over 56k sq km of Western Ghats declared eco-sensitive

The Centre has issued a fresh draft notification to declare over 56,800 square kilometres of the Western Ghats across six states, including 13 villages in Kerala's landslide-hit Wayanad, an Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA), inviting suggestions and objections within 60 days.

The notification, issued on July 31, came a day after a series of landslides claimed over 300 lives in Wayanad district. Scientists from Kerala and beyond attribute the disaster to a deadly mix of forest cover loss, mining in the fragile terrain and climate change.

The draft notification proposes to declare 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala, including 13 villages in two talukas of the landslide-hit district, as ecologically sensitive.

These villages are Periya, Thirunelli, Thondernad, Thrissilery, Kidanganad and Noolpuzha in Mananthavady taluka, and Achooranam, Chundel, Kottappadi, Kunnathidavaka, Pozhuthana, Thariyod and Vellarimala in Vythiri taluka.

The July 30 landslides affected Mundakkai, Chooralmala, and Attamala villages in Vythiri taluka which do not figure in the draft notification.

Overall, the notification proposes to declare 56,825.7 sq km as ecologically sensitive, including 449 sq km in Gujarat, 17,340 sq km in Maharashtra, 1,461 sq km in Goa, 20,668 sq km in Karnataka, 6,914 sq km in Tamil Nadu, and 9,993.7 sq km in Kerala.

An official said that the latest draft is much more detailed and that "there are no major changes in terms of total area".

"We are hopeful that it will finally be notified," the official added.

The environment ministry has issued six draft notifications, including the one issued on July 31, since March 10, 2014, but the final notification is pending amid objections from states.

According to the fresh draft notification, an expert panel set up in April 2022 to find a breakthrough has held nine meetings since July 2022, "wherein various objections, comments, and suggestions were received from the states".

"The committee is addressing the issues raised by the states in the Western Ghats region on discrepancies or information gaps in the draft notification dated July 6, 2022, on the correct names and areas of villages to be included in the ecologically sensitive area. The committee is also examining the suggestions received from the state governments," it read.

The draft notification suggests a complete ban on mining, quarrying, and sand mining, with existing mines to be phased out within five years "from the date of issue of the final notification or on the expiry of the existing mining lease, whichever is earlier".

It prohibits new thermal power projects and states that existing projects can continue to operate but no expansion will be allowed.

All 'Red' category industries (highly polluting), specified by the pollution control boards, and their expansion shall be banned, it said.

Large-scale construction projects and townships are also proposed to be prohibited, with exceptions for the repair and renovation of existing buildings.

In 2010, the Centre formed the "Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel" under ecologist Madhav Gadgil to study the impact of population pressure, climate change, and development activities on the Western Ghats, a global biodiversity hotspot declared a world heritage site in July 2012 by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The panel recommended in 2011 that the entire hill range be declared an ESA and divided into three Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZ 1, 2, and 3) based on their eco-sensitivity.

It recommended a ban on mining, quarrying, new thermal power plants, hydropower projects and large-scale wind energy projects in ESZ 1.

However, these recommendations faced resistance from state governments, industries and local communities.

In 2013, the Centre formed a High-Level Working Group under rocket scientist K Kasturirangan to study and recommend measures for the Western Ghats' ecological protection and sustainable development.

This group identified 37 per cent of the Western Ghats, covering 59,940 square kilometres, as ecologically sensitive.

Ray of hope?

There seems to be some good news amid a pall of gloom elsewhere. The Army has detected signs of life, local media reports said, amid heaps of rubble in Mundakkai. The Army has intensified search operations after this surprise development. 

205 people dead; 264 injured, says Wayanad district administration

As many as 205 people have died and 264 were injured in the massive landslides that hit Wayanad district, the district administration said on Friday.

According to the figures released by the district administration, 205 bodies, including that of 28 children, were recovered.

Additionally, 133 body parts were also recovered, it said.

So far, 328 autopsies, including that of body parts, have been performed, it further said, adding that 116 bodies were handed over to relatives.

Besides that, 264 people were injured in the disaster and of them 177 have been discharged, two have been referred to other hospitals and 85 are undergoing treatment in various hospitals in the district, the department said.

GPS coordinates, aerial drone pictures used by rescuers to locate survivors; 300 missing

Unidentified bodies to be buried in public graveyards

The unidentified bodies of those who died in the landslides in Wayanad will be buried in public graveyards in the hill district, the authorities here said on Friday.

The facilities for the burial have been arranged in graveyards at various locations including Kalpetta municipality, Vythiri, Muttil, Kaniyambatta, Padinjathara, Thondarnad, Edavaka and Mullankolly Grama Panchayats, an official statement said.

The statement said that 74 unidentified bodies are currently being kept in various locations within the Meppadi Grama Panchayat and will be handed over to the concerned local self-government secretaries. The bodies will be buried after the necessary procedures are completed.

Registration Department Inspector General Sreedhanya Suresh has been appointed as the nodal officer responsible for overseeing the registration, storage and burial of the bodies.

Army dogs on duty in Wayanad

Congress to build 100-plus houses: Rahul Gandhi

121-member mental health team to provide psychosocial support to survivors

A Mental Health Disaster Management team has been formed in Kerala to provide psychosocial support to survivors of the devastating landslide at Wayanad, state Health Minister Veena George said on Friday.

George said a 121-member team of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychiatric social workers and counsellors was formed on Tuesday, soon after the disaster struck the hilly district of Kerala.

She said only the special team members with ID cards issued by the health department will be allowed to provide mental health support to the survivors in relief camps and to those admitted in various hospitals.

The team has set up help desks at all the hospitals and relief camps.

"The mental health workers will listen to the concerns of the survivors and offer them comfort. Children, pregnant women and elderly people will be given priority," the minister said in a release.

Official death toll: 199

The rescue operation is going very well and systematically: Minister A K Saseendran