Tamil Nadu announces ex-gratia for kin of deceased, injured state workers in Kerala's Rajamala landslide

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami on Wednesday announced an ex-gratia of Rs three lakh each to the kin of deceased in Rajamala landslide in Kerala. Financial assistance of Rs one lakh each has also been announced for the severely injured.

A massive mound of earth and slush triggered by heavy rains had flattened a row of 20 one-room 'row houses' of tea plantation workers made of tin and asbestos sheets which accommodated at least 82 workers at Pettimudi in Rajamala on August 7.

கேரளா-ராஜமலா, நயமக்காடு தேயிலை தோட்டத் தொழிலாளர் குடியிருப்பில் ஏற்பட்ட நிலச்சரிவில் சிக்கி உயிரிழந்த தமிழக தொழிலாளர்கள் குடும்பத்திற்கு ஆழ்ந்த இரங்கல்!

உயிரிழந்தோர் குடும்பத்திற்கு தலா ரூ.3 லட்சமும், பலத்த காயமடைந்தவர்களுக்கு தலா ரூ.1 லட்சமும் நிவாரணமாக வழங்க உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளேன். pic.twitter.com/Yx1uT6dMo5 — Edappadi K Palaniswami (@CMOTamilNadu) August 19, 2020

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) DG Satya Narayan Pradhan on August 18 said that at least 61 people lost their lives in the landslide that took place in Idukki district of Kerala on August 7. So far, 12 people have been rescued out of the 82 victims said the NDRF DG and nine people are still missing. 

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, CM Palaniswami expressed his condolences to the families of Tamil Nadu workers who lost their lives in the landslide. "Deepest condolences to the families of Tamil Nadu workers who lost their lives in a landslide at the Nayamakkadu tea plantation workers' residence in Kerala-Rajamala. I have ordered the relief of Rs 3 lakhs each for the families of the victims and Rs 1 lakh each for the severely injured," he tweeted in Tamil.

Two Ground Penetrating Radars (GPR)s from Chennai along with a four-member team joined the search operations by August 18 afternoon, Idukki collector H Dineshan had told PTI. The radars were brought from the Institute of Oceanography, he had said.

The help of the dog squad was also used for search operations earlier, but due to inclement weather, their services were not utilised now, sources had said. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), fire force, police and forest officials are jointly engaged in the search operations.