Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 23 (PTI) The BJP on Sunday alleged that the Congress-led UDF government was “neglecting” people affected by the monsoon calamity in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Alappuzha districts.
BJP Keralam general secretary Anoop Antony questioned whether the absence of Muslim League MLAs in these three districts was the reason for the neglect of disaster victims.
“Is that why the government is ignoring disaster victims in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Alappuzha, where the Muslim League has no MLAs? The CM should clarify whether political calculations are even being made a criterion when it comes to the suffering of people,” Antony said in a statement here.
Neither the government nor the Muslim League has responded to the allegations.
He alleged that the government was “deceiving” the affected people by citing technical reasons even weeks after announcing immediate financial assistance, without releasing any amount.
“The government has not even provided the Rs 10,000 that should be given immediately to those who lost everything in the monsoon calamity. The government’s hollow announcements are responsible for making the Onam season miserable for the disaster victims,” Antony said.
He said the government itself had reported 27 deaths, 27,048 people in 462 relief camps and crop losses over 1,882 hectares affecting 23,537 farmers.
According to the government figures cited by Antony, the total loss was around Rs 68 crore.
“Though the government announced that immediate assistance would be provided to the disaster victims, even the procedures for it have not been started,” he alleged.
Antony also alleged that the government’s announcement to provide Rs 300 each to two members of every affected family for seven days had not been implemented.
“Application forms and even the list of beneficiaries have not been prepared. All this is evidence of the government’s serious neglect of the disaster victims,” he said.
The BJP leader urged the government to immediately distribute the announced financial assistance without citing official procedures.
“The government should show compassion towards people who have lost everything. Instead of trying to mislead people by citing official procedures, the financial assistance announced should be distributed immediately,” he said.
The government, which had made the Onam season difficult for the disaster victims, should stop making promises and ensure that the assistance reaches them, Antony added. PTI TGB SSK
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