On 30h July 2024, torrential and uninterrupted rain for a few days in Wayanad in Kerala state in southern India caused huge landslides, resulting in flood water carrying mud entering several households and other areas in the dark hours.  As a result, it is reported that several people who were sleeping were caught unaware and were washed away , apart from others who were caught in the mud/flood water flow and lost their lives. Over 350 people have died and the counting of the dead, injured and missing people is continuing. 

This disaster has caused considerable concern and sadness all over India with many people wondering as to why such a disaster was not prevented and who is responsible for not taking necessary precautionary steps that could have saved the inhabitants of the area. A political blame game is already on between the government and the opposition, the state and central governments. 

It is said that such a disaster has happened because hundreds of trees were reportedly cut off to use the area for cultivating plantation crops. Another view is that in the name of tourism promotion, several resorts and huge buildings were constructed, despite the unsuitable nature of the soil and climate conditions, violating the rules and regulations.

Did local authorities ignore warnings?

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has said in Parliament that flashing signals with the message to warn the local government that there is a high possibility of torrential rain and consequent landslides were issued a few days before the landslide occurred. It was further said that such a warning was sent more than once. Local government authorities have not taken necessary preventive steps despite the warning issued, though the state government has rejected the charges. 

It is very obvious that the concerned government officials have not functioned properly with care and caution and the minister in the concerned departments too has not bothered to instruct the officials to do the needful as a matter of priority. In such circumstances, the question arises as to what is the responsibility of the local elected representative including a member of parliament, member of the state assembly and member of local municipality/panchayat?  In a democratic society where people elect their representatives for parliament, assembly and other local bodies, it is expected that these elected representatives should closely monitor the issues and shortcomings in the areas that they represent and bring them to the notice of the government at various levels.  These elected representatives are supposed to be the watchdogs to safeguard the interests of the people in the area.  It is often pointed out that most of the elected representatives do not visit the areas with the frequency that is needed and are often guided by political considerations to protect the interests of the party to which they belong.

In the Wayanad disaster, the concerned minister should be held responsible and is morally bound to resign while the concerned officials should be hauled up and punished for dereliction of duty. Should the elected representatives go scot-free as if they have no responsibility in the matter, the public has every right to ask. Such a situation exists not only in the Wayanad disaster case but almost in all cases in India where such disasters and flagrant violations take place.

Gross dereliction of duties

For example, in Delhi a few days back,  three students lost their lives when flood water entered the basement of a tuition centre when the students could not run away. After this sad event, some steps have been taken to inspect such tuition centres in the wake of the public protest. The question arises as to why the elected local councilor and member of assembly and parliament were not aware of the impending disaster and did not take any steps to prevent the disaster from happening by alerting the authorities and the government to the situation. 

In Tamil Nadu,  a few weeks back, more than 80 poor people lost their lives by consuming illicit liquor. The Tamil Nadu government immediately suspended some officials and paid compensation to the families of dead persons and seemed to have thought that it had done its duty. Obviously, the elected representatives of the people had not monitored the conditions in their constituency. If they had monitored they would have known about the practice of illicit liquor consumption and prevented the tragedy.

There are any number of disasters happening in India, with the sad conclusion that the elected representatives of the people are failing in their duties and remain indifferent to pressing local issues and the needs and grievances of the people.

(The author is a commentator on current affairs and a Trustee, at NGO Nandini Voice for the Deprived, Chennai. Views are personal. He can be contacted at nsvenkatchennai@gmail.com)