The wait continues
KOCHI: Shakir Mohammed, hailing from Nedumbassery, started from his home at the crack of dawn so that he can reach the District Collectorate at Kakkanad before the rush begins. By 7 am, Shakir was in the long queue in front of the Revenue Department.
"We are in the queue for hours. Fortunately, our name is on the list. Many others spent long hours here only to find out there names aren't there," says Shakir, fighting fatigue.
Like him, hundreds have been pouring into the Collectorate every day for the past one month to check whether their names appear in the list of beneficiaries eligible for damages. For these people, life is still in a fix, despite eight months after the floods.
Says Ambika, a resident of Vadakekkara in Paravoor, "After the floods washed off everything, we had to spend a lot to repair our home. Now I have nothing left for my son's marriage. My only hope is the aid from the government. And, we are forced to stand here for hours."
A resident of Eloor, Vasu wants to know why the Revenue Department and the authorities are doing nothing to make the list available online. "Why aren't the authorities using such facilities? Had the list been published online, all these people wouldn't have to wait here for hours", he asks.
While those in the list are optimistic that the compensation will land on their accounts after the elections are over, another lot is disappointed after failing to get into the list, for many reasons.
Says Sukumar from Nedumbassery: "According to the authorities, those who don't feature in the list can only resubmit the application after an ordinance in this regard is issued. But, we have no idea when that will be."
A lot of people who failed to submit the applications during the first time also hang around the office, hoping to rectify the situation. However, those who want corrections can submit an application now.
Meanwhile, an official with the Revenue Department said the decision to publish the list online has to be taken on the ministerial level. "We cannot do anything in this regard. A lot of government officials were busy with election duty. We are doing everything possible to help them," he said.
The official also added that applications that were processed before the Model Code of Conduct came to place have been sorted. "The remaining ones have to wait till May 23. A lot of people have given their bank account numbers wrong. We had given proper intimation to every beneficiary," said the official.
Collector says..
District Collector K Mohammed Y Safirulla has said that those in the beneficiaries list, who haven't received the compensation money yet, will get the amount soon. Over 70 per cent of people affected by the flood has received compensation. The list has been prepared by visiting the homes of those who were partially and completely affected in the deluge. We had considered the appeals of those who had reservations about the list and settled the matter. It is impossible to change the amount which has been fixed as per the slabs. No new applications and appeals will be considered at the Collectorate, said the District Collector.