Kerala CM withdraws order restricting scientists from sharing Wayanad reports
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan intervened hours after the principal secretary of the Kerala State Disaster Management issued a gag order prohibiting scientists from visiting disaster-affected areas in Wayanad. The Kerala government’s gag order faced significant backlash.
The controversial gag order restrained science and technology institutions in the state from sharing their opinions and study reports with the media regarding the recent deadly landslides in Wayanad.
Vijayan instructed the Chief Secretary to rescind the order, emphasizing that the state government does not endorse policies hindering scientific studies in these regions.
Earlier, the scientific community had strongly protested against the note prepared by State Relief Commissioner and Principal Secretary, of Disaster Management, Tinku Biswal, which directed all science and technology institutions in the state not to undertake any field visits to Meppadi Panchayat in Wayanad, where several people were killed in the devastating landslides on Tuesday.
The order read, “The scientific community shall be directed to restrain themselves from sharing their opinions and study reports to the media. If any study is to be undertaken in the disaster-affected area, prior permission shall be obtained from Kerala Disaster Management Authority.”
The Wayanad landslide disaster is Kerala’s most severe natural disaster to date.
Officials have confirmed that the death toll from the devastating landslide in Wayanad on Friday has risen to 297, with 206 individuals still missing. The rescue efforts continued relentlessly on the fourth day since the calamity struck.
Over a thousand personnel from various rescue teams, supported by local volunteers, have been mobilized into nine groups. They are tirelessly working to assist affected individuals and locate those who remain missing.
Currently, there are now 91 relief camps where 9,328 people have been evacuated safely.
The areas worst hit by the landslides include Churalpara, Velarimala, Mundakayil, and Punchirimadom, where the impact has been most severe.
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