Protest in Wayanad as Plantation Labour Welfare Board halves aid for landslide victims' families

Kalpetta: Tension is mounting in Wayanad after the Plantation Labour Welfare Board (PLWB) slashed the solatium promised to the kin of the victims of the Mundakkai–Chooralmala landslide, reducing the earlier announced ₹1 lakh compensation to ₹50,000. The decision has triggered strong protests among plantation labourers, who have announced an agitation demanding immediate withdrawal of the order.

A total of 41 plantation workers — 20 confirmed dead and 21 still missing — were among the hundreds affected by the catastrophic landslide that devastated parts of Mundakkai and Chooralmala in the early hours of July 31, 2024. The PLWB had initially declared a solatium of ₹1 lakh for each victim's family but halved the amount recently, triggering outrage.

The INTUC, the trade union arm of the Congress, condemned the move, calling it anti-labour and insensitive. INTUC state president P P Ali accused the state government and the PLWB of betraying the survivors.

“We have lost 41 labourers. Even ₹1 lakh was nowhere near sufficient, but reducing it further is cruelty,” he said. He alleged that the timing of the order—released amid the ongoing election campaign—was suspicious and a violation of the election model code of conduct.

Ali added that the union would launch an indefinite protest if the decision is not revoked immediately. “People from across the world have contributed to support these families and help them rebuild their lives. I fail to understand why the government is denying rightful aid to such devastated households,” he stated.