Call LSG meets to tackle calamities: Kerala State Human Rights Commission

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has asked the state government to convene meetings of grama and ward sabhas of areas prone to natural calamities.

The recommendation is part of its report submitted to the government after chairman Justice Antony Dominic and members K. Mohankumar and P. Moh-anadas visited Kavalap-para in Malappuram district where several people died in landslides recently.

These sabhas should discuss the reports of the various experts and take protective steps, the commission said in a statement here.

State government should make available such expert committee reports to local bodies and organisations to help them take more precautionary measures. It would also help in ensuring long term projects on the Western Ghats, river valleys, areas affected by 2018 and 2019 floods and ecologically fragile areas with people's support, it says.

Steps should be taken to remove sand, silt, rock and trees deposited in rivers and streams after the landslides to ensure the natural flow of water.

It should also take serious note on the complaint that the immediate financial aid provided to those affected by floods was insufficient. Steps should be taken to rehabilitate people who live in landslide-prone areas by providing an alternate habitat.

The government should compensate for lost agriculture, agricultural equipment, cattle and other domestic animals on the market value.

It should restore roads, bridges and other public utilities. The dependants of those who died or disappeared or faced other disasters in the natural calamities should get counselling and legal aid.

Various facilities of the revenue, PWD and Panchayat areas lost in natural calamities should be restored in Adivasi areas to the pre-August 8 status.

It should rehabilitate dependants of those who died in Kavalappara, distributing financial aids immediately. Steps should be taken to distribute duplicates of lost Aadhar cards and education, land and ration cards under the supervision of a panel with collectors as chairman. If necessary, it should issue special orders for the same.