Kerala lifts site visit ban for scientists after Wayanad landslides

Kerala has decided to roll back its controversial directive that barred scientists from visiting sites or making statements about the recent landslides that have claimed more than 300 lives in Wayanad. The directive came from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday, calling the order ‘misleading,’ adding that the state government does not have such a policy.

Taking it to the official Facebook handle, the Chief Secretary of the Government of Kerala clarified that the purpose of this advisory was not to prevent the state's scientific community from undertaking research and offering insights. The goal was to dissuade state scientists from making remarks or offering opinions that could be misconstrued or misquoted, especially at this delicate time, in order to sow fear and confusion among the population. These are outliers, but in the past two days, a few similar cases have surfaced.

The decision from the state government came after criticism from various quarters, including environmentalists and opposition leaders, who argued that the ban hindered transparency and the proper assessment of the damage. However, the government has mandated to take prior permission from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority to undertake any studies in the calamity-hit area.

The initial order had raised concerns that it would limit the ability of experts to provide accurate assessments and recommendations for preventing future disasters. With the rollback, scientists will now be able to visit the affected areas and offer their insights on the landslides, which have been a significant concern in the region.

Meanwhile, rescue operations in the landslide-hit areas of Kerala are underway and casualties are likely to increase.