Kerala ministers T Siddique and Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday declared the soil slip at the Kalladi tunnel project site in Wayanad a "man-made disaster." The incident, which has killed four people, was caused by the unscientific dumping of excavated earth, the ministers said.
Addressing reporters, Minister T Siddique stated that the incident could not be classified as a natural landslide. "This is not a natural landslide. It is a man-made one. It occurred due to the unscientific dumping of excavated earth," he said, according to The Hindu.
Ignored Warnings and Government Response
The ministers revealed that concerns had already been raised about how excavated earth from the tunnel project was being dumped, especially after the district received heavy rainfall. According to Firstpost, the incident is being described as a "manmade disaster" because the warning was ignored.
Minister Siddique also confirmed that the injured persons admitted to WIMS Hospital were in a stable condition. The government has said it is seriously looking into the lapses that led to the tragedy.
Our Take: Accountability Must Follow
In our view, this incident highlights a clear failure in safety protocols. When warnings are raised about unsafe practices, especially in a region prone to heavy rainfall, ignoring them is not an option. The government's admission that this was a man-made disaster is a step toward accountability, but it must be followed by concrete action. Those responsible for the unscientific dumping and the ignored warnings should be held accountable to prevent such tragedies in the future.
