Another monsoon, another tragedy. The disturbing consistency with which rain-related disasters recur in Kerala is deeply disturbing. However, it seems that no lessons have been learned. Tuesday’s deadly landslide at a road tunnel project in Wayanad appears to be partly a man-made disaster. So far, three people have been confirmed dead, while seven remain missing. The incident has exposed shocking apathy, criminal negligence, flagrant violations and a complete disregard for human life. Reports say the area received over 200mm of rain in 24 hours, on an already fragile landscape. But the scale of the disaster was exacerbated by the huge mounds of excavated soil left at the site. When part of a rain-soaked hillside gave way, rushing water and mud washed away the loose soil, burying the site and causing extensive damage nearby. The slide may have been natural, but the destruction was not.
Soon, a blame game began. The Kerala government accused the contractor of ignoring repeated instructions to remove the excavated soil. The contractor and Konkan Railway, the implementing agency, insisted that heavy rain caused the collapse. Meanwhile, the state government ordered two investigations, one into the tragedy and another into possible violations during the construction of the tunnel. The project’s environmental clearance included strict conditions. While serious errors in execution are evident, the failure of regulatory oversight is equally evident. Given Kerala’s experience with rain disasters, the authorities should have been much more cautious before allowing tunnel work during the peak monsoon season. The government’s responsibility did not end with warnings. If the officials understood the danger, the contractor should have been forced to remove the accumulated soil before it was too late. Moreover, conditions requiring work to stop during heavy rain and workers to stay away from dangerous places appear to have been ignored, highlighting a complete disregard for human life.
