NEW DELHI: Hours after the government of Kerala imposed a gag order on scientific community in the state barring them from visiting the landslide zone in Wayanad and sharing their views with the media, the Pinarayi Vijayan government decided to withdraw the order with “immediate effect”.
The government clarified that the notification issued was not meant to “restrain the scientific community of the state from conducting studies and providing insights”.
The state government’s notification had earlier stated in the gag order — “You are requested to direct all Science and Technology institutions in the State of Kerala not to undertake any field visits to Meppadi Panchayath, Wayanad which is notified as a disaster affected area.” It had also restricted the scientific community “from sharing their opinions and study reports to media.”
The government later said that the objective of the notification was to “discourage statements and opinions by persons belonging to scientific institutions of the state, that maybe misinterpreted or misquoted to create panic and confusion among the public.”
The government clarified that the notification issued was not meant to “restrain the scientific community of the state from conducting studies and providing insights”.
The state government’s notification had earlier stated in the gag order — “You are requested to direct all Science and Technology institutions in the State of Kerala not to undertake any field visits to Meppadi Panchayath, Wayanad which is notified as a disaster affected area.” It had also restricted the scientific community “from sharing their opinions and study reports to media.”
The government later said that the objective of the notification was to “discourage statements and opinions by persons belonging to scientific institutions of the state, that maybe misinterpreted or misquoted to create panic and confusion among the public.”
“At the same time, in the aftermath of a tragedy of this intensity, it is important that the immediate focus on rescue, recovery and rehabilitation is not lost and that widespread panic and paranoia are not generated on account of misinterpretation of statements or opinions made, detracting from the humanitarian work at hand,” it said, adding that since the note was unbale to convey the message properly, it was being “withdrawn with immediate effect.”
Meanwhile, rescue operations are on in the landslide affected region of Wayanad that killed over 300.