Kerala Govt To Declare 'Missing' Wayanad Landslide Victims As 'Deceased' To Ensure Relief For Kin

According to a government order issued on Tuesday, a comprehensive process has been outlined to identify and verify the missing individuals.

Once approved, Kerala government will issue an official order declaring the missing individuals as deceased.

Source : PTI

The Kerala government has decided to officially declare as deceased the individuals who went missing during the Wayanad landslide last year. This decision will provide much-needed relief and compensation to the families of those affected by the tragedy.

According to a government order issued on Tuesday, a comprehensive process has been outlined to identify and verify the missing individuals. Committees will be formed at the local, district, and state levels to oversee the procedure. The local committee, consisting of the panchayat secretary, village officer, and station house officer of the respective police stations, will prepare a list of missing persons and submit it to the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), as per a report on PTI.

The DDMA will review the list and forward it to the state-level committee for final scrutiny. The state committee, which includes senior officials such as the additional chief secretary (home) and principal secretaries of revenue and local self-government, will evaluate the findings and forward the recommendations to the government.

Once approved, the government will issue an official order declaring the missing individuals as deceased. Death certificates will be issued to the immediate relatives, enabling them to claim ex-gratia compensation. The process also involves a detailed inquiry by tahsildars or sub-divisional magistrates, with the findings published on the official website and government gazette. A 30-day window will be provided for filing objections before the final list is released.

The landslide, which occurred on July 30 last year, claimed 263 lives, with 35 individuals officially reported missing. The new directive ensures that the families of the missing receive closure and financial assistance.