The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Many omissions in relief distribution: DMK

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 24, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Many omissions in relief distribution: DMK

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JAN. 23. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president, M. Karunanidhi, today said that complaints poured in daily about the acts of omission and commission in distributing relief to the tsunami affected.

Mr. Karunanidhi said despite the demand of the Democratic Progressive Alliance and the participants of the all-party meeting, the Government did not create an apex body to oversee relief distribution with representatives from nongovernment organisations and political parties. The relief distribution was handled by ruling party men, Ministers and officials and this had led to many mistakes.

The DMK leader said the Nagapattinam MP, A.K.S. Vijayan, had submitted a detailed statement of the "wrongs" in the district. In Kodiyakkarai village there were only 616 families. In the list of those granted relief there were an additional 51 families. Those affected in Kallimedu village had not received any assistance so far.

In Pazhayar village though there were only 1,150 families, relief was granted to 1,500 families. While the 1,150 families received Rs. 4000 the remaining was pocketed by a ruling party man, mr. Karunanidhi alleged. He warned that if the Government did not come forward to set up all-party committees in the districts even now, he would be constrained to call for an all-party meeting to decide on the future course of action.

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