Kerala to seek Rs7.57b economic package from Centre after tsunami disaster

The Kerala cabinet yesterday decided to push for a Rs7.57 billion (Dh630 million) economic package from the Centre.

The state is seeking the aid to enable it to tide over the financial problems faced in the wake of the trail of devastation caused by tsunami, particularly in Kollam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts.

The death toll from the tsunami in Kerala reached 170 yesterday. The state government has decided to cancel the New Year celebrations in keeping with the sombre mood of the people owing to the loss of dozens of lives in the state and widespread destruction of property.

The cabinet has also decided to construct breakwaters in specific parts of Kollam and Alappuzha districts over a 4-km stretch on a war footing. These two districts had accounted for over 160 deaths in the state in the tsunami tragedy. The state government yesterday shifted a district collector for "tardy work in relief operations", and two representatives of people got an earful from angry people in Ernakulam who felt the government had done little to assuage their difficulties.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy announced yesterday Alappuzha District Collector K.M . Ramanand was being moved from his post because it was found the relief operations in the district were not up to the mark.

"We had targeted a modest amount of relief work to be carried out in the district on an urgent basis, but it was found that there was a deficiency in doing even that," Chandy said.

Ramanand has been moved to the Sarva Siksha Abhayan (SSA), and K.R. Muraleedharan has been asked to take over in his place. Commenting on the transfer of Ramanand to the SSA department, Chandy said, "We do not want to be vindictive," and added he expected work to be delivered.

"There are limits to what the state government can do in the event of a tragedy of this magnitude. But it is not right to fail in implementing whatever has been announced," Chandy said.

Meanwhile, State Fisheries Minister Dominic Presentation and MLA M.A. Kuttappan faced the wrath of the people in Edavanakkadu panchayat in Ernakulam district when they went there to oversee relief work.

Angry residents made offensive remarks against the leaders and the police had a difficult time moving the minister from the crowd and into the safety of his car.

Residents said the people's representatives had done a shoddy job in bringing the extent of the calamity to the notice of the top authorities.

Ironically, Presentation also happens to be the minister in charge of relief work for Ernakulam district.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has cancelled her visit to Kerala, while Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is expected to land here this evening and visit affected areas in Kerala tomorrow, according to latest reports.