Q: What are the district administration’s immediate priorities?
A: There isn’t a single road in Idukki unaffected by floods. 148 km national highway, 1,145.78 km PWD road and 865.93 km panchayat road were almost fully damaged. They have to be repaired immediately as part of linking various parts of the district by road. Around Rs 6,000 crore is required for the maintenance of roads alone. In addition, considering the losses to lives, properties, agriculture sector and communication, Idukki needs at least Rs 7,500-8,000 crore for rebuilding.
Q: Will you prevent people from rebuilding houses in the floodplains and landslide-prone areas?
A: The district administration is moving ahead with the task of rehabilitating people. However, if people go to places where their houses were damaged or broken partially or fully for repair work, the administration can’t block them. But we will convince them about the dangers involved in staying there.
Q Will you keep the flood-affected areas in the basins of rivers with the departments concerned?
A: We will mark the level to which water rose in the aftermath of the opening of the reservoir. But the district administration has no plans to erect small concrete posts marking the boundary of the river after the floods. Our immediate priority is to bring transportation, communication, electricity and drinking water projects to normal and rehabilitating the affected.
Q How many people were rehabilitated after floods?
A: We opened around 211 relief camps, with only five or six yet to be closed. Around 1,500 families have lost their houses completely. We have to rehabilitate them either in rented houses or in their relatives’ houses until the government rehabilitation plan materialises.
Q Do you think people who start a new life in the flood-affected areas after reinforcing and constructing new buildings will later go to government-proposed housing projects?
A: I hope they know the perils of living under a disaster-prone area and will accept the government offer.
Q In the light of the floods, will the administration take stringent measures to stop encroachment?
A: Encroachment is a worldwide phenomenon and not limited to Idukki alone. However, we are doing our best to enforce existing rules to check encroachment.
Q Is the development model followed by the state suitable for an ecologically sensitive district like Idukki?
A: Certainly not. We have to hold a detailed study on Idukki’s geological aspects first and a development model suited to its terrain has to be promoted. Multi-storeyed buildings with no scientific architecture or design are unsuitable for the district. We also require social engineering and we hope there will soon be some policy-related interventions.
The Geological Survey of India will be starting a study on soil piping and other related issues.