Kochi: The Kerala government recently submitted a disaster memorandum to the Kerala High Court detailing anticipated costs for landslide relief in Wayanad. This memorandum was also sent to the Centre on August 17.
Among the listed expenses, the cost for conducting funerals for 359 victims is notably high. The state has requested Rs 2.77 crore for these rites, amounting to Rs 75,000 per body. Additionally, Rs 11 crore was claimed for clothing and utensils, translating to Rs 26,816 per survivor. Overall, the state has estimated a total cost of Rs 1,202 crore.
The government acknowledges that, according to disaster management norms, Kerala is eligible for only Rs 219.23 crore—18% of the requested amount. For instance, the state has asked for Rs 6.25 crore to aid 25 severely disabled individuals, but norms only entitle it to Rs 62.5 lakh.
Similarly, Kerala requested Rs 14 crore for livelihood support for over 2,010 people, but the norm allows just Rs 5.43 crore. The memorandum also notes that Rs 233.25 crore is needed to rebuild 1,555 damaged houses, while norms allocate only Rs 20.22 crore.
Past experiences show that the Centre often does not meet the full financial requests of disaster-struck states. Kerala, for instance, sought over Rs 6,000 crore after the 2018 floods but received less than a third. Similarly, no aid was provided for the 2019 floods.
Certain expenditure categories, such as search and rescue operations, are fully reimbursed by the Centre. The inflated Rs 2.77 crore for funerals reflects a common strategy among states to secure full reimbursement for specific expenses, compensating for lower allocations elsewhere.
The memorandum also outlines additional costs, including Rs 4 crore for armed forces travel, Rs 10 crore for food and water for aid workers, and Rs 15 crore for their accommodation. Other costs include Rs 2.02 crore for medical aid and Rs 12 crore for relocating affected individuals.
Further expenses include Rs 1 crore for constructing a Bailey bridge, Rs 2.98 crore for essential items like raincoats, and Rs 3 crore for search devices. The total claimed for various categories highlights the extensive financial demands in disaster management.
The government explained that the high costs are partly due to the remote location of the disaster site, making logistics and procurement more expensive.
