India, July 11 -- The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the state Government to ensure the ex-gratia amounts are paid on time to the next of kin of those who died in the Wayanad landslide and the persons injured in the incident.

The direction was issued by a bench of Justices AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Preeta AK, which also sought a report from the Government on when the work at the construction site was stopped and why the workers were present there if all activity had been put on hold.

The directions were issued by the bench in a petition initiated by the High Court on its own in 2024, following the landslides in Mundakkai and Chooralmala villages in Wayanad district in July that year, which had claimed over 200 lives, for prevent...