New Delhi: Amit Shahs remark over the devastating landslides in Kerala triggered row on Wednesday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sharply criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The conflict revolves around Shahs claim that the Kerala government was adequately forewarned about the impending disaster. Blame game on Wayanad landslideSpeaking to the media in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, Chief Minister Vijayan emphasized the importance of addressing climate change rather than engaging in a blame game. He said, The central government needs to recognize the seriousness of climate change. When disasters like this occur, you cant just try to shift blame onto others and shrug off responsibility. This is not the time for such games.Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayans response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah claiming that the centre had issued prior alerts to the state govt regarding rains and landslides:In the disaster areas, only an orange alert was issued. While the meteorological centre predicted 115- 204… pic.twitter.com/OJf0YAyVfK— Shilpa (@Shilpa1308) July 31, 2024What has Amit Shah saidUnion Home Minister Amit Shah, in a statement to the Rajya Sabha, defended the central governments actions. He asserted that the Kerala government had been warned about potential heavy rainfall and landslides. According to Shah, the central government issued warnings on July 23, 24, and 25, with a specific alert on July 26 predicting heavy rainfall exceeding 20 centimeters. He pointed out that on July 23, nine National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were dispatched to Kerala to prepare for possible landslides.#WATCH | Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, My condolences to the bereaved families... I want to clarify something for the country... They kept on talking about early warning. I want to clarify that on July 23, the government of India gave an early warning to the… pic.twitter.com/pyi8WCFPq2— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2024Shah questioned the Kerala governments response, asking why people were not evacuated if the warnings were received. He also stated that the central government has invested over ₹2,000 crore since 2014 in developing the early warning system.Chief Ministers counterargumentsVijayan countered Shahs claims by stating that the central governments weather warning for Wayanad predicted rainfall between 115-204 mm. In contrast, the area received 572 mm of rain within the next 48 hours, which was far beyond the initial forecast. He also criticized the timing of the alerts, noting that a red alert was only issued after the landslides occurred, whereas the initial alerts were only orange.Furthermore, Vijayan pointed out that between July 23 and 29, the Central Water Commission did not issue any warnings for critical areas such as Iruvazhinji Puzha or Chaliyar. This omission, according to Vijayan, indicates a discrepancy between the information presented in Parliament and the actual situation on the ground.Impact of disasterThe landslides in Keralas Wayanad district have been catastrophic, with at least 158 people reported dead and over 200 injured. The tragedy has intensified the debate over the effectiveness of disaster warnings and the responsibilities of both state and central governments.
