Chennithala says LDF govt’s lapses lead to 2018 Kerala floods

Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday said that he was the first to raise the allegation that 2018 Kerala floods were man-made disasters. He said findings submitted by an amicus curiae appointed by high court lend support to his position. He added that he has consistently flagged the issue in the assembly since the disaster.He squarely blamed Pinarayi Vijayan for what he termed administrative failures. According to the Congress leader, the report points to serious lapses that contributed to the scale of flooding. He questioned the decision to release water simultaneously from multiple dams, arguing that such actions inevitably worsened the situation and led to large-scale inundation across the state. He contended that, despite the existence of flood control mechanisms, authorities failed to follow established protocols and take timely precautionary measures. Referring to a study by Indian Institute of Science, Chennithala said its findings highlighting shortcomings in dam management were dismissed by govt and its supporters when raised by the opposition. Drawing parallels with the handling of cyclone Ockhi in 2017, he alleged that delays in issuing timely warnings aggravated the impact of that disaster as well. He claimed that it was only after sustained protests by the opposition that authorities began improving early warning systems. Chennithala also referred to an alleged audio clip involving power minister K Krishnankutty, suggesting it raises fresh concerns that the floods may have been exacerbated to benefit a private entity. He termed the development ‘shocking' and called for greater scrutiny. Highlighting the magnitude of the 2018 tragedy, he alleged that the losses were a direct consequence of governance failures under the then Left administration. Stating that accountability remains a key issue, Chennithala said that if UDF returns to power, it would initiate a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the floods.