Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to discuss the rehabilitation package for the landslide-hit Wayanad.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan will meet PM Modi in Delhi to seek central aid for rebuilding landslide-hit Wayanad. Kerala may request Rs 900 crore for rehabilitation efforts after the disaster left 230 people dead and damaged property worth Rs 280 crore.

Factors such as quarrying and a 62% reduction in forest cover have contributed to the hill slopes' increased susceptibility to landslides when the heavy rain fell.

It's high time the ESZ regulations were brought back and effectively implemented in Wayanad and Idukki districts--not just for preserving Western Ghats’ mountains and forests but also for saving a substantial number of human lives in the years to come.

In light of the Wayanad landslides, the Centre has notified a draft to declare 57,000 sq. km. of Western Ghats as eco-sensitive.

Scientists believe frequent landslides in Kerala may be due to excessive mining and deforestation in the area and the effects of climate change.