The Hindu : Kerala News : Inept crisis management alleged

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 29, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Inept crisis management alleged

By N. J. Nair

KOLLAM, DEC. 28. The Government machinery has drawn flak for its "inept handling" of the situation in Alappad where 32 persons were killed in Sunday's tsunami onslaught.

Two days after the panchayat was battered by seismic sea waves, the Government machinery continues to be lethargic, with voluntary organisations and political activists leading rescue and relief operations, said the local people. Bodies were being retrieved from the debris by the local people with the assistance of political workers and NGO volunteers.

Though an Army contingent reached Kollam on Monday night, it did not play an effective role in the rescue operations, they alleged. There are complaints that the administration has not taken steps to publish the list of missing persons by referring the Revenue documents of people housed in relief camps. But for the opening of a camp at Srayikkad, the Government has not done much rescue operations, they said.

It is feared that many bodies are still trapped under the concrete slabs of the ravaged houses. The bodies would putrefy if they are not retrieved immediately.

Political workers and NGOs are contributing their mite to provide food, medicines and clothing to the affected families.

Looting reported

Power and communication links have not been restored and the panchayat, the worst hit in the State, remains cut off from the rest of the country. Looting has been reported from different areas. The local people alleged that the police had failed to check the flow of people to the affected areas since Monday morning, and anti-social elements had looted deserted houses and shops.

The steady flow of VIPs to the affected areas has also hampered the work of the police force in providing security to relief camps while keeping away anti-social elements from deserted areas.

Complaints have also been raised about the functioning of the district control rooms. The control rooms have failed to provide proper information on time, and are not effectively manned, they alleged.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala