THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KPCC chief M M Hassan said the planned overseas visit by the state ministers to mobilise funds for flood relief will undermine the ongoing flood relief and rehabilitation work. In a release here, Hassan, who termed the proposed trip by the ministers untimely, hastened to add Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s visit to the US is for medical purposes.
Kerala is limping to normalcy from the flood disaster, with thousands still in the relief camps. The ministers going on the foreign jaunts are in charge of districts to coordinate the relief and rehabilitation work along with senior officers, he said. Considering the emergency situation the foreign travel of the ministers should be put off, Hassan said.
Even the LDF MLAs had stated in the Assembly there is no coordination in the relief and rehabilitation work, Hassan said. The exact figures regarding the scale of the tragedy are not available yet and the government should immediately come out with detailed figures and action plan to get more Central funds, Hassan said. This will also become affected on account of the ministers’ staying away.
Malayalees world over, including those living in the state, had contributed generously to the CM’s Distress Relief Fund, with relief materials worth several crore too being sent. All these were done online and materials and money can be collected in the same manner,Hassan said, indicating the ministers’ foreign jaunt for the purpose is totally unwarranted. A special account should be opened immediately to ensure proper utilisation of flood relief funds, he said.