Kerala will pursue legal options to avail foreign funds: Pinarayi Vijayan


Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 31 (PTI): As Kerala picks up the pieces, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said the government would explore the possibility of legal options to avail the funds offered to the state, including that from abroad.

His statement assumes significance in the wake of a row over the Centre's refusal to accept the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) reported offer of Rs 700 crore to the flood-hit state.

Addressing a specially convened one-day session of the state assembly to discuss the unprecedented flood situation, Vijayan said 483 people have lost lives in the state since the onset of monsoon on May 28 and 14 were still missing. He said the state's economy had been badly hit and the loss could be much more than the state's annual plan outlay for the year which stood at Rs 37,247.99 crore.

"Offers of financial assistance for Kerala are pouring in from different quarters of the world. The government is also moving towards legal steps to avail these funds," Vijayan said.

The funds offered from across the globe is giving confidence to the government, he said. Besides Rs 600 crore sanctioned by the Centre, the state was hopeful to get more financial assistance from the Union government considering the gravity of the situation, the chief minister said.

"The Chief Minister's distress relief fund has received Rs 730 crore till yesterday (Wednesday)," he said, adding that the government had also been offered land and jewels towards relief fund.

On the discussions held with World Bank officials as part of fund mobilisation for rebuilding the state, Vijayan said the government policy was to accept funds from any quarters if it was in tune with the state's interests.

Apparently referring to the Opposition charge that the deluge that ravaged the state was due to the sudden release of water from dams without any prior warning, the chief minister said unexpected torrential rains had resulted in the calamity. "The state had received rains three times more than what was predicted by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) during the period," he said.

The IMD had forecast an estimated 98.5 mm rainfall in the state between August 9 and 15. But, the actual rainfall received was 352.2 mm, he added.

Terming the calamity as the worst in the century that had virtually battered all sections of the economy, the Left leader said 57,000 hectares of agricultural land was flooded. Flood water entered lakhs of houses forcing people to flee to relief camps, he said. But rescue operations were carried out promptly and on a war-footing by the government in coordination with various defence forces. The effort helped reduce the death toll, Vijayan said.

With regard to the rehabilitation programmes, he said the gravity of the calamity had also raised some environment issues. "One of the most significant points is whether to rehabilitate the displaced people in the same places where landslips, landslides and mud slips occurred. A consensus has to be evolved in this," the Kerala chief minister said.

He also wanted that environmental aspects should be considered while taking up construction activities in these areas. Incessant rains and floods have forced over 14.50 lakh people to seek refuge in relief camps across the state, he said, adding that over 59,000 people are still lodged in 305 camps.

Meanwhile, Opposition member V D Satheesan (Congress) maintained the charge that the floods were due to the simultaneous release of water from various dams.

CPI(M) veteran and former chief minister V S Achuthanandan batted for the implementation of the Madhav Gadgil committee report on the preservation of ecologically fragile Western Ghats to avoid such calamities in future. He also wanted all illegal constructions in the ecologically sensitive areas to be removed.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Raj, Mangalore

    Sat, Sep 01 2018

    RSS stoops to new low in Kerala

    RSS is plying empty trucks covered with tarpaulins and Seva Bharati banners
    on it in different parts of Kerala to create an impression that they are
    actively supplying relief meterials to the flood affected. Seeing a truck
    often in their area, locals near Chegannur stopped one such truck with the
    help of police. The RSS person inside the truck threatened the locals with dire consequences. But the driver told the truth that RSS is paying ₹2000 + Diesel per day for him to do this drama and he was doing this since 4 days.
    He said, till date nothing was loaded on the truck.
    Narada News quotes one eye witness’ FB post: Water has receded and many
    relief camps are closed. These people are plying covered empty trucks to
    mislead ppl.

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • hemanth, Bangalore

    Fri, Aug 31 2018

    UAE itself said they did not decide anything about amount. Before thanking UAE for money which is not yet announced have courtesy to thank Israel which already sent relief materials. BTW when Modi visited Israel Kerala govt called Israel as a Terrorist state

    DisAgree [1] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • El En Tea, Mumbai

    Fri, Aug 31 2018

    How about 500 crores promised during the Aerial view. Was it sanctioned or not?

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mangalurian, Mangaluru

    Fri, Aug 31 2018

    So far as I understand, most if not all of that amount will be "used" for the army for its services.

    In other words, the state cannot spend it at its discretion.

    The army is under the central Government. So what the Central Government is doing is basically moving the funds from its right hand to its left hand.

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Mangalurian, Mangaluru

    Fri, Aug 31 2018

    So far as I understand, a State has full legal rights to accepts such funds.

    Centre may reject what is offered to the Centre, but, I don't believe the Centre can reject what is offered to a State.

    I am 100% certain the Kerala Government will win the legal battle on the matter. There is no law that prevents a State from seeking funds abroad.

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Fri, Aug 31 2018

    Modi's International image will get a battering if India accepts aid from Foreign Nations ...

    DisAgree [2] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse


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