Scores of people from Paravur and other regions of Ernakulam district that were battered by consecutive floods in 2018 and 2019 lined up outside local body offices and the Ernakulam Collectorate on Friday. Though their homes had been fully or partially destroyed in the floods, many of them were given tokens for appointment next year. There was panic among flood victims after the arrest of four people, including a staff at the Ernakulam Collectorate and a CPI(M) member, who were allegedly involved in diverting funds meant for flood relief.
On Monday, the police arrested Vishnu Prasad and later a local CPI(M) leader called Nidhin and his wife, and Mahesh who is an associate of CPI(M) Thrikkakkara (East) local committee member M M Anwar.
Anwar, to whose account around Rs 10 lakh was transferred, is still absconding.Vishnu Prasad, a clerk at the Collectorate has been accused of duplicating names of 325 beneficiaries while transferring flood relief funds in March 2019. This money was diverted to Anwar’s account. Though the total amount of Rs 10,54,000 was transferred in five instalments, staff at the Ayyanad Service Cooperative Bank, in Vazhakkala of Ernakulam, raised suspicions that lakhs were being transferred to Anwar’s account. The last installment came on January 24, 2020. When the bank staff raised this with the Collector, an inquiry was immediately done and it was found that a staff member named Vishnuprasad was the one who was involved in the transfer.
Jayachandran Ayyanad, Ayyanad Service Co-operative Bank president said, “The fund came to our bank’s account. The concerned person should come to our bank and state that this much amount has been credited, by showing their unique identification number. We had noticed that the fund came from Reserve Bank. When it came again, Anwar came asking for it, and we found again that it was from RBI’s treasury. We also found it was from the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund. On the same day we went and informed the District Collector about it.”
After the complaint was lodged, Anwar remitted the amount back to the treasury. A case was lodged by the Thrikkakara police for financial fraud, cheating and conspiracy against Anwar, Vishnuprasad and Mahesh. In an explanation given to the party, Anwar reportedly claimed he does not know how the funds came into his account.
Meanwhile, angry local residents gathered outside local body offices.
"We have been running from pillar to post and after waiting in the queue for long to give our application as we were not included earlier, the officials told us to come back next year. What's happening, we do not know as who knows if we will be alive next year. We suffered the floods in 2018 and till now nothing has happened," said an angry man.
"There are over a 100 people in my panchayat alone who haven't received any money other than the initial relief of Rs 10,000. Some families are forced to live in pathetic conditions and in shabby houses that can collapse anytime. With monsoons approaching in a few months, these families are really scared because their makeshift sheds will not endure even a seasonal flooding,” Shalini Babu, president of Kadamakudy panchayat told TNM.
She also adds that there are about another hundred families who have given appeal following miscalculation of the extent of damage by authorities. They have also not received any money apart from the initial Rs 10,000 relief. Kadamakudy panchayat, comprising a cluster of islands, is a low lying area in Ernakulam district and one of the first places to get flooded during heavy rains.
Senior Congress legislator VD Sateeshan, said that if the police conduct a proper probe, more arrests will take place and it would include a few top people.
"We will raise this issue in the Assembly. There were lots of complaints against the arrested official, but no action was taken for long. If the probe goes in the right direction, then more people will be arrested," said Sateeshan to the media.
Joining issue was Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan who told the media that he will not comment on it now as the state government is already doing its job.
On Monday, Sanal MC, a daily wage labourer from Meppady in Wayanad district killed himself. Though Sanal’s house was destroyed in the 2019 floods, and killed himself as he was heartbroken, his family alleged.
The family has further alleged that despite getting registered in a relief camp, Sanal did not get even Rs 10,000 that was given to families as immediate relief.
(With inputs from IANS)
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