KALPETTA: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has ordered a vigilance investigation into the distribution of poor-quality food kits containing worm-infested rice items by Meppadi grama panchayat.
The investigation will be carried out to check whether the panchayat distributed old stock or if the available food items were replaced by any chance. The chief minister directed on Friday that a preliminary inquiry should be conducted and a report submitted immediately.
The food kits received by the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide disaster victims in Meppadi panchayat were found to be infested with worms. Meanwhile, a political controversy is raging over who provided the food kits.
The CPM alleged that the UDF-ruled Meppadi panchayat was responsible for supplying the low-quality food kits. The CPM said that worm-infested rice was distributed even though fresh rice was available in the godown. The CPM marched to the Meppadi panchayat office on Friday demanding the dissolution of the panchayat administrative committee.
But the panchayat authorities justified that they received the kits from the revenue department and it was the responsibility of the department to check the quality of food items. MLA T Siddique also blamed the department for the matter. “The panchayat authorities are not responsible for checking the quality of food items handed over for distribution. The food safety department should have checked it earlier,” said Siddique.
