With Kerala inching towards normalcy after the rain mayhem a fortnight ago, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan today said the government would soon come out with an action plan to rebuild the state, which has suffered a loss much more than the estimated Rs 20,000 crore.
The day also saw Congress president Rahul Gandhi visiting some relief camps in flood-ravaged areas of Chengannur, Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Chalkuddy in Thrissur.
Gandhi termed the heavy rains and floods which claimed several lives and displaced many as a "very big tragedy."
On the rehabilitation process, Vijayan said with more people returning home, the number of people in relief camps have come down to 1.97 lakh.
There were more than 14.50 lakh people in camps on August 21. "This shows that nearly 12.53 lakh people have returned home after rehabilitation began," he said.
At Kuttanad, known as the state's rice bowl, around 70,000 people today took part in the massive clean-up drive to remove silt and debris dumped by the floods.
The region, which is below the sea level, has several areas still inundated.
State Finance Minister Thomas Isaac and PWD Minister G Sudhakaran launched the drive in which 1,000 engineers, IT volunteers and snake catchers are participating.
As schools are reopening tomorrow after the Onam vacation, focus was on cleaning the campuses, officials said.
People staying in schools, which have been converted into relief camps, would be shifted to auditoriums and halls, they said.
Vijayan said the effort was to open all the schools tomorrow itself. However, there are some problems in areas like Kuttanad and Aluva in Kochi, which is expected to be sorted out in a day or two.
Arriving in Kerala on a two-day visit, Gandhi spoke to people at relief camps, days after the deadliest deluge in the last 100 years left a trail of destruction.
Visiting the flood-ravaged areas of Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts, Gandhi termed the devastating deluge which claimed several lives and displaced many as a "very big tragedy."
Addressing people at a relief camp in North Parvoor in Ernakulam district, he urged Congress workers and leaders to "pressure" the governments at the Centre and state to get the people adequate compensation.
At Alappuzha, Gandhi was all praise for the role played by fishermen in the rescue operations and said if his party comes to power at the Centre, a separate fisheries ministry would be set up.
He also wanted the Coast Guard to make use of the services of fishermen for rescue operations in future.
"I am proud to say that through all your difficulties, through all your hardships, whenever Kerala needed you...you stood up and gave your best. I salute your commitment to the people of Kerala," the Congress chief said.
Vijayan said rebuilding the picturesque state was a daunting task as it had suffered massive destruction with the loss estimated to be much more than Rs 20,000 crore.
Rescue operations were over and the thrust now is on rehabilitation and rebuilding the state ravaged by the rain fury that claimed 322 lives since August 8, Vijayan told reporters after holding a meeting here to review the post-flood situation.
"Rehabilitation process of the displaced is progressing in the right direction," he said.
The state would come out with an action plan for rebuilding the state, he said.
The assembly, which has been convened for a day on August 30 to discuss the post flood situation, would discuss all issues and government would finalise the action plan, the chief minister said.
The Kochi international airport, which was forced to stop its operations since August 14 following flooding, will commence services from tomorrow.
According to data released this morning by the Disaster Management's state control room, 474 people have died in the rains and floods since May 29 when the southwest monsoon set in over Kerala.
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