As the death toll in landslides in Wayanad district in Kerala has neared 300, the state govt has issued a gag order against the scientific community from commenting on the disaster or visiting the sites. The Communist govt in the state has issued a bizarre order to all science and technology institutions in Kerala preventing them from visiting the disaster sites or sharing their opinion about the incident.
In this order, Tinku Biswal, state relief commissioner and principal secretary, Kerala State Disaster Management has asked the Principal Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology to direct all science and technology institutions in Kerala not to undertake any field visits to Meppadi panchayat in Wayanad, which is notified as a disaster-affected area.
“The scientific community shall be directed to restrain themselves from sharing their opinions and study reports to the media. If any study is to be undertaken in the disaster-affected area, prior permission shall be obtained from Kerala Disaster Management Authority,” the note said.
It stated that if any study is to be undertaken in disaster affected area, prior permission will have to be obtained from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority.
Talking to Onmanorama, Tinku Biswal said that the move is in keeping with disaster management protocols. “Other than rescue and relief personnel, we discourage and wherever possible restrict the movement of others into and from the disaster site,” she reportedly said.
When asked about gag order on sharing studies, she said that various theories and counter-theories are being floated and that should not happen during a disaster. Tinku Biswal said, “They impact the local population. We don’t want people to be distracted by theories. It dampens the mood of the population. If at all any study needs to be done, that can be done later.”
Notably, the direction has been issued by the same Pinarayi Vijayan government which prides itself for promoting science and technology and steering Kerala on the path to a full-fledged ‘knowledge economy.’
As per latest reports, the death toll in the landslides have reached at least 296 and over 200 are injured. Around 240 people are still missing.
