As relief and rehabilitation efforts continue across flood-ravaged Pathanamthitta, the focus is rapidly shifting from rescue to accountability, with allegations of administrative lapses and poor disaster management dominating the political discourse.
The sharpest criticism came from CPI(M) Pathanamthitta district secretary Raju Abraham, who described the deluge as a `government-sponsored flood’. He accused the authorities of failing to issue timely red alerts and opening dam shutters without adequate public warning, and demanded compensation for all those who suffered losses.
“The authorities neither issued a proper red alert nor gave advance warning before opening the dam shutters. The lack of timely information from both the government and weather monitoring agencies caused widespread anxiety among the public and resulted in losses worth crores,” he alleged.
According to Mr.Abraham,the Moozhiyar and Kariyarkayam dams were opened at 1 a.m. Under the existing protocol, the authorities are required to inform elected representatives, local self-government institutions and the Public Relations Department before releasing water. Public announcements through loudspeakers should also have been made to alert residents. However, the government failed to follow any of these procedures. Had even a public announcement been made, people would have had time to move their belongings to safety and take the necessary precautions, he pointed out.
He also claimed that DYFI volunteers had to undertake cleaning operations because the official response was delayed.
Questions have also been raised over the government’s preparedness and the coordination of relief operations. Residents and public representatives alleged that relief camps lacked basic facilities, flood-hit areas did not receive adequate support and coordination among various departments remained patchy at a time when swift action was crucial.
Taking a serious note of the situation, Aranmula MLA, Abin Varkey urged the government to extend additional assistance to the constituency, saying it was among the worst-hit regions and required greater support. Ranni MLA, Pazhakulam Madhu likened the aftermath of the floods to `a battlefield after the battle’ and said local teams were doing their best with the limited resources at their disposal while appealing for more government assistance. Complaints also surfaced over inadequate facilities at a relief camp in Aranmula.
Even in Ranni, where post-flood cleaning operations were being coordinated under the leadership of the MLA, residents alleged that official support remained inadequate and inter-departmental coordination continued to be poor.
Responding to the criticism, Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar said the government would step up rehabilitation efforts and improve facilities in the coming days. District in-charge Minister P.C. Vishnunath also remained in the district to oversee the relief and rehabilitation work in the flood-affected areas.
Published - August 02, 2026 07:15 pm IST
