Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan has strongly refuted Kerala’s allegations that the Wayanad landslide was caused by Tamil Nadu’s mining activities in the Western Ghats. Speaking at the inauguration of 20 new buses at the Vellore New Bus Stand, the minister dismissed the claims as baseless and lacking geographical understanding.Responding to reporters’ questions about Kerala’s accusation that Tamil Nadu’s extraction of mineral resources from the Western Ghats led to the landslide in Wayanad, Durai Murugan remarked, “Kerala’s government is speaking without any knowledge of geography. Itâs like blaming the pain in your mouth on a hit to your thigh. The Wayanad landslide is a natural disaster that has deeply affected everyone with a heart. It’s disheartening that the Central Government has not even declared it as a disaster. I don’t know if their hearts are made of stone or something else.”
Durai Murugan also welcomed the proposal to declare the Western Ghats as an environmentally protected area, acknowledging the importance of preserving the region’s ecological balance.
When asked about BJP State President K. Annamalai’s recent comments accusing Tamil Nadu ministers of accepting bribes over the Mekedatu issue, Durai Murugan dismissed Annamalai as someone lacking in knowledge and understanding of the situation.