Five-member panel formed to study cause of Wayanad tunnel landslide

The Kerala Government has constituted a five-member expert committee to investigate the cause of the fatal landslide and debris collapse at the Anakkampoyil-Kallady twin tunnel construction site in Wayanad.

The committee comprises geologist Dr C.P. Rajendran, ecologist Dr Vishnudas, Kerala Chief Wildlife Warden Dr P. Pugazhendi, and the Secretaries of the Public Works Department and the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, with the latter serving as the convenor. The convenor has been authorised to co-opt additional experts, if required.

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The committee will investigate the causes of the mishap and determine whether the contractor, Dilip Buildcon Ltd, violated any terms of the contract.

The inquiry will also examine the environmental clearances granted by the state and Central governments, as well as the forest clearance issued by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The committee has been asked to submit its report within one month.

The state government has also constituted a separate three-member expert committee comprising Dr Santhosh G. Thampi, Professor at NIT Calicut; Dr Jude Emmanuel, Environmental Scientist at the Directorate of Environment and Climate Change; and a representative of the National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS), Thiruvananthapuram.

This committee has been tasked with submitting a report on the safe removal of the soil accumulated during the construction of the Wayanad Kallady twin tunnel project.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting attended by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, and Public Works Minister P.K. Basheer.

After visiting the site, the committee will assist the District Disaster Management Authority in safely transporting the debris to designated Public Works Department disposal sites.