Kanichar landslide to be treated as a special case; Compensation to be provided, says Kerala Govt

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government on Tuesday decided to categorise a massive landslide that had rocked a tiny hamlet in northern Kannur district last year as a special case and distribute compensation to the victims on the lines of 2018-19 deluge.

Landslides, triggered by heavy rains, wreaked havoc in the high ranges of Kanichar, located in Iritty taluk of Kannur in August, 2022, causing loss of lives and property.

A cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan decided to give compensation to the villagers whose houses were damaged in the disaster.

The compensation would be on the lines of aid distributed to the victims of 2018-19 floods, a statement from the chief minister's office here said.

A total of Rs four lakh from the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) would be given to those whose houses were completely destroyed, it said.

Financial assistance would also be provided to those whose houses were partially damaged.

A total of Rs five lakh -- Rs four lakh from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and Rs one lakh from the CMDRF -- would be provided to the kin of those who were killed in the landslides, it said.

Compensation would also be given to those who had to spend time in relief camps and other such facilities due to the disaster.

An advance of Rs 20 lakh would be granted to Kannur District Collector for allotting emergency aids and job loss relief assistance to the victims, the statement added.

Among other things, the government also decided to enhance the freedom fighters' pension in the state from Rs 11,000 to Rs 14,080, with effect from April, 2023, it said.

The tenure of 56 special fast track courts allotted in the state and the tenure of the posts of temporarily created special public prosecutors there would be extended up to March 31, 2023, the CMO statement added.