THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Allegations of administrative lapses and inadequate disaster management have surfaced in the aftermath of the devastating floods that battered Pathanamthitta district, even as relief and rehabilitation efforts continue.
Taking the state government to task over its handling of the flood situation, Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan said on Sunday that the rise in public suffering was due to negligence and a lack of coordination in disaster management.
The former chief minister termed the lapses unacceptable and urged the government to intensify search operations to trace those missing. Posting on Facebook, he also extended condolences to the families of the deceased and the missing.
He alleged that in Ranni, a dam was opened without adequate warning, leaving traders with little time to secure goods in their shops and forcing them into the streets in protest.
Pinarayi flagged the shortcomings at relief camps as a matter of concern, noting that government agencies had themselves admitted to failures in food distribution. Because of poor coordination among officials, volunteers, local residents and political workers had to step in to cook and distribute food, he said.
With hundreds of camps operating statewide and thousands of people housed there, the administration should |function with greater vigilance and efficiency, he said.
He urged the government to ensure food, drinking water, medicines, safe shelter, and compensation for the affected people. Appealing to government agencies, local bodies, volunteers, and the public to work together to overcome the crisis, he said the government should review the lapses and take corrective steps to prevent recurrence.
Meanwhile, CPM Pathanamthitta district secretary Raju Abraham alleged that the flooding witnessed in the district was a “government-sponsored flood”.
“The authorities neither issued a proper red alert nor gave advance warning before opening the dam shutters. The lack of timely information from both the government and weather monitoring agencies caused widespread anxiety among the public and resulted in losses worth crores,” Raju alleged.
He also claimed that DYFI volunteers had to step in for cleaning operations because officials failed to respond promptly. The flood response has also drawn criticism from residents and public representatives over the lack of preparedness and coordination. There were widespread complaints that authorities failed to ensure basic facilities at relief camps and flood-hit areas, while coordination among departments remained inadequate.
Aranmula MLA Abin Varkey has urged the government to provide additional assistance to the constituency, saying Aranmula was among the worst-affected regions and required more support.
Pazhakulam Madhu, the Ranni MLA, likened the post-flood situation to a “battlefield after the battle” and said local teams were managing with the limited resources available, while appealing for more government assistance. There were also complaints about inadequate facilities at the relief camp in Aranmula.
Although cleaning operations in Ranni were being coordinated under the leadership of the MLA, local residents alleged that official support was inadequate and that coordination among various government departments was poor.
Revenue Minister A P Anil Kumar promised that the government would strengthen rehabilitation measures and improve facilities in the coming days. The minister in charge of the district, P C Vishnunath, also remained on the ground, overseeing relief and rehabilitation activities in the flood-affected areas.