“Kerala govt issues gag order banning scientists from visiting landslide-hit areas in Wayanad and sharing their studies and opinions on the disaster”, Opindia, August 1, 2024:
“As the death toll in landslides in Wayanad district in Kerala has neared 300, the state govt has issued a gag order against the scientific community from commenting on the disaster or visiting the sites. The Communist govt in the state has issued a bizarre order to all science and technology institutions in Kerala preventing them from visiting the disaster sites or sharing their opinion about the incident.
In this order, Tinku Biswal, state relief commissioner and principal secretary, Kerala State Disaster Management has asked the Principal Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology to direct all science and technology institutions in Kerala not to undertake any field visits to Meppadi panchayat in Wayanad, which is notified as a disaster-affected area.
“The scientific community shall be directed to restrain themselves from sharing their opinions and study reports to the media. If any study is to be undertaken in the disaster-affected area, prior permission shall be obtained from Kerala Disaster Management Authority,” the note said…….”
Read the full article at Opindia.com
