Kerala Expedites Relief for Wayanad Landslide Victims: Missing Declared Deceased

Wayanad, Kerala: In a significant move to fast-track aid, the Kerala government has decided to declare missing persons in the Wayanad landslide disaster as deceased. This measure will enable affected families to receive the financial assistance previously announced for the deceased victims. Permanent death certificates will also be issued following due processes.

Special Provisions for Missing Persons

Under normal circumstances, it takes seven years to declare a missing person as deceased. However, the state, citing the urgent nature of this calamity, has introduced special provisions to reduce this timeline. Revenue Minister K. Rajan revealed that the government has also begun identifying missing individuals through DNA tests to confirm their status.

The declaration process will involve thorough investigations by two committees:

1. Local-Level Committee: Comprised of the village officer, panchayat secretary, and local police station SHO.

2. State-Level Committee: Includes principal secretaries from the Home, Revenue Disaster Management, and Local Self-Government departments.

These committees will ensure transparency and accuracy in determining cases before approvals are granted.

Procedure for Issuing Death Certificates

A detailed protocol has been established for the issuance of permanent death certificates:

• A list of missing persons will be widely publicized through newspapers, websites, and notice boards.

• A 30-day period will allow the public to provide any additional information.

• Following investigations, the sub-collector will officially declare individuals as deceased, and panchayat secretaries will issue death certificates.

The state government has set January as the target to complete the initial stages of this process, aiming to provide timely relief and closure to the bereaved families while ensuring due diligence.