ALAPPUZHA: The National Congress (Indira) State vice-president D. Sugathan has demanded that the State Government issue a white paper explaining the details of the money received in the Tsunami Relief Fund of the Government and the withdrawal of money from it.

At a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr. Sugathan said the public had a right to know how the Government spent the money they donated to the fund.

He pointed out that the public thought the Government would spend the money for relief operations when they generously donated money to the fund.

Mr. Sugathan said the list of 219 tsunami-affected villages prepared by the Government included some villages situated far away from the seacoast.

Allegations

There are allegations that the list included some villages in Idukki district, he said. Mr. Sugathan said the newly formed Disaster Management Department be taken away from Revenue Minister K.M. Mani.

The management of the department at present was giving rise to criticisms of corruption, he said. Mr. Sugathan said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy himself should handle the department.

Mr. Sugathan pointed out that the Government had not been able to complete the construction of houses for the tsunami affected even several months after the catastrophe occurred. The tsunami- affected people were still living in the temporary shelters built for them, he said.

He said the State Government had clarified that that amount from the tsunami relief fund would not be allotted for the reconstruction of roads in the tsunami affected areas. The construction of sea wall along the coast of the tsunami- affected panchayats had been stopped, he said.

In the context, the Government should immediately come forward with a White Paper to clear the doubts of the public, said Mr. Sugathan.

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