Debunking False News: The Truth Behind Wayanad Tragedy

Malayalam media has been spreading false information about the Wayanad tragedy, misrepresenting a memorandum submitted by the state government as an expenditure. However, the truth is that the government has submitted a planned expenditure as part of its request for additional emergency assistance from the central government under the National Disaster Response Fund norms.

This memorandum is a standard procedure in the aftermath of a disaster, prepared and submitted at the initial stage based on projected figures. It is not a bill of expenditure, but rather a request for additional financial assistance that will be reviewed by the central government.

A similar situation occurred after the major flood of 2018, when Kerala requested around Rs 6000 crore as per norms. Following inspections, the central government allocated Rs 3000 crore to Kerala. Although the estimated loss was over 26,000 crores, the central government later collected 130 crores from Kerala as airfare after a year.

The memorandum is drafted in the early days of the disaster, anticipating the bills that may come later. Losses on vehicles and machinery are accounted for on receipt of bills, but it is standard practice to include an estimated amount in the memorandum. Unfortunately, some media outlets have distorted this information, creating fake news and spreading misinformation about the Wayanad tragedy.