Vijayan rejects CM's remarks on Wayanad tunnel clearance, alleges lapses in landslide preparedness

Wayanad (Kerala), Jul 9 (PTI) Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday rejected Chief Minister V D Satheesan's remarks regarding the environmental clearance for the proposed Wayanad tunnel road project, alleging that the government was attempting to divert attention from its own lapses in handling the recent landslide disaster. Speaking to reporters after visiting the landslide-hit area in Wayanad, Vijayan said the environmental clearance for the Anakkompoyil-Meppadi tunnel project was obtained through a transparent and legally valid process and not through any "manipulation", as alleged by the Chief Minister. "Everything was done with transparency," he said. A landslide had occurred on July 7 at the site of the Anakkompoyil-Meppadi tunnel project for connecting Wayanad and Kozhikode districts. The death toll following the Wayanad landslide rose to six on Thursday with recovery of three more bodies from the disaster site, district officials said. Vijayan said the environmental impact studies were completed in 2023 following due procedure and that the project subsequently received approvals from both the state and central governments. He further said the Kerala High Court had, on December 16, 2025, dismissed petitions challenging the environmental clearance and that the decision was later upheld by the Supreme Court of India. Allegations that the clearance was secured by exerting pressure amounted to disregarding judicial findings, he alleged. Accusing state ministers of "trying to shift the blame" to escape accountability, Vijayan said a controversy was being deliberately engineered to cover up the government's failures. The LoP also alleged serious lapses in disaster preparedness, saying heavy rain had lashed the area, but adequate precautionary measures were not taken. He sought to know why there was no effective advance warning despite the weather conditions and alleged that only a yellow alert had been in place before the landslide. Citing media reports, he claimed that a red alert was issued only after the disaster had occurred. According to him, water had flowed through mounds of excavated earth dumped at the project site and earlier directions to remove the accumulated soil were not implemented. The government and the authorities concerned "failed to act" on recommendations and did not take timely preventive measures. Welcoming the state government's decision to order an investigation into the incident, Vijayan, however, alleged that attempts were being made to mislead the public by distorting facts at the government level. Vijayan met inmates of the relief camp who shared their grievances with him, following which he assured them that the opposition would extend full support to all measures aimed at assisting those affected by the disaster. Describing the Wayanad tunnel road as a project with "immense development potential", Vijayan said it was essential for the state and should be implemented without delay. CM Satheesan on Wednesday said that the government would carry out a detailed examination to ascertain the reasons behind the Wayanad landslide. The CM had said that it would also be examined whether the directives issued by the central government while granting environmental clearance to the tunnel project have been adhered to by the construction company. The work on the tunnel, which will connect Wayanad with Kozhikode, will restart only after these two examinations are completed, he added. He had also contended that a study conducted by the previous LDF government came to a finding that the project should not be implemented. Despite that, the state government insisted on going forward with the project by imposing several stringent conditions on it, he had claimed. "That is why I said, let us examine what happened," the CM had said. PTI LGK ROH