Wayanad landslides: Kerala govt gag order on scientists speaking to media

In a move that is completely against the spirit of scientific enquiry, the Kerala state relief commissioner and principal secretary for disaster management has instructed the state's department of science and technology to prevent the scientific community from speaking to the media about the Wayanad landslides.

Science and technology institutions in Kerala have been advised to avoid field visits to the Meppadi area, which is the disaster zone. A memo from principal secretary Tinku Biswal states that scientists should not share their opinions or reports with the media. And any research in the affected area requires prior approval from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority.

Institutes such as the Kerala Forest Research Institute, the Institute for Climate Change Studies and Srinivasa Ramanujan Institute for Basic Science fall under the department.

Major landslides struck Mundakkai and Chooralmala in Wayanad district early on Tuesday, killing at least 295 people. This is Kerala's deadliest landslide disaster to date, with about 400 families stranded, over 200 people injured and another 240 still missing.

This move by the state government comes a day after it was reported that it had imposed restrictions on officials regarding communication with the media about the Wayanad landslides.

In a note signed again by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority member-secretary based on a meeting convened by chief secretary V. Venu, it was stated that “no other officer shall interact with the media or share information”.

The note reportedly also instructed that a senior ADGP (additional director-general of police) based in Kalpetta would curtail “all non-essential traffic to the site and neighbourhood”.