Thiruvananthapuram: In view of the worst devastation in nearly a century suffered by Kerala due to rains and floods, the government on Tuesday cancelled this year's Onam celebrations, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced.
The harvest festival is one event that is celebrated across the state.
The Kerala government, which had earmarked Rs 30 crore for the cultural events to be held all across the state, decided to divert that amount to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund.
The week-long festivities were to take place in August -- with the Thiru Onam falling on August 25.
"What has occurred in our state has been the worst ever (disaster). A total of 444 villages have been affected.
"The money set aside for Onam will be used for relief. We seek everyone's help in our efforts," Vijayan told the media after a cabinet meeting.
Since August 8, there has been widespread destruction following incessant rains, causing rivers to overflow. The opening of shutters of 27 dams in the state led to huge destruction of crops and properties.
In the last one week, 38 people have died and four are missing. According to a rough estimate, more than one lakh people have been affected.
The worst affected have been Idukki and Wayanad districts. Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Ernakulam too have been badly hit.
Vijayan said the cabinet had decided to form a cabinet sub-committee to look into the quick implementation of the relief and rehabilitation programmes.
"From September 3 to 15, special courts would be held to see that all those who lost valuable records are issued duplicate ones and that too free of cost.
"We have also asked the State Level Bankers Committee to see that when the compensation amount is transferred, they should not levy any charges," said Vijayan.
Rains continue to batter Kerala, people shifted to relief camps
Rains continued to wreak havoc in many parts of southern Indian state of Kerala with northern hill district of Wayanad experiencing widespread landslides and flooding overnight, forcing thousands of people to take shelter at relief camps, officials said on Tuesday.
Several people fled their homes on Monday due to landslides and land slips in the district part of Western Ghats. People living in the downstream have been shifted to relief camps.
#Comk #ChasingMonsoon The Raging #AthirapallyFalls amidst pouring #Rains as Ghats of #Kerala witness another day of heavy rains #KeralaFloods pic.twitter.com/hCyTmYZcms
— Chennairains (@ChennaiRains) August 14, 2018
Over 13,800 people have been provided shelter at 124 relief camps in the district. Low lying areas are inundated, officials said.
Shutters of Banasura Sagar Dam were raised further Monday night to release excess water.
Many parts of northern Kerala districts including Kannur, Kasargod, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Palakad also witnessed rains Monday night.
The floods in Kerala have caused severe damage to crops & infrastructue. It has also caused loss of precious lives and forced thousands to take shelter in relief camp. We are providing all possible assistance to the state. Centre to provide additional 100 crores to Kerala. pic.twitter.com/Ufq58HCEq0
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) August 12, 2018
Two shutters of Cheruthoni Dam part of Idukki reservoir were closed Monday evening.
The water level in the dam is receding further, alleviating apprehensions of the affected people living downstream, particularly in Ernakulam district.
However, water level in Mullaperiyar Dam rose to 136 ft, prompting authorities to sound caution.
The catchment areas of the dam is receiving rains continuously.
Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswom Board has asked the devotees to avoid their pilgrimage to Sabarimala in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district to participate in the Niraputhari festival as water level in Pamba River was rising steadily.
Rains had pounded several parts of Kerala Monday, triggering landslips and compounding the woes of people already reeling under unprecedented floods and downpour which have claimed 39 lives in six days.
The Union Home Ministry's National Emergency Response Centre (NERC) in New Delhi had said that 187 people have lost their lives in Kerala to the monsoon fury, with 2,406 villages in 14 districts badly hit by rains and floods, and standing crop in over 26,400 hectares damaged.
Landslides were reported from various places in Malappuram, Kozhikode, Idukki and Wayanad districts.
(Inputs from IANS, PTI)
