Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Government breached public trust: Lok Ayukta

Special Correspondent

`Government action failed purpose of donation'

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: : Lok Ayukta K. Sreedharan and Upa Lok Ayukta K.A. Mohammed Shafi on Thursday indicted the Government for committing breach of trust in the utilisation of the funds donated by the public for tsunami victims.

The order was passed on the basis of a complaint filed by V. Vijayapanicker, a resident of Azheekkal in Alappad panchayat, Kollam, and P.K. Raju, AIYF district president, Thiruvananthapuram. In response to an earlier order of the forum, Additional Secretary A. Thankappan had filed a statement detailing the various activities undertaken by the Government to help the tsunami victims.

The statement showed that the public contributed more than Rs.40 crores towards the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund for helping the tsunami victims, the forum said. At the time that the tsunami occurred, there was only Rs.37 lakhs in the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. The fund swelled to Rs.40.42 crores after the tsunami struck.

The Government's stand was that the money received from the Centre as calamity relief fund, could not be utilised for building seawalls. Hence, the entire amount required for this was earmarked from the money in the Distress Relief Fund. A total of Rs.20.5 crores was earmarked in this manner for building seawalls.

The documents made available by the Government Pleader showed that the work on the seawalls had not been completed, nor was the money spent. Out of a total of 38 items of work, 26 had not yet been started. Less than 50 per cent of the works started had been completed.

In effect, Rs.20.5 crores had been kept in reserve in an attempt to protect the seashores of the State, the Lok Ayukta said. This reserve had not so far been utilised for alleviating the miseries of the tsunami victims. This action on the part of the Government defeated the purpose for which the money was donated by the public for the victims. The Government was duty bound to fulfil the trust reposed on it by the donors.

A sum of Rs.8.3 crores was seen used from the Distress Relief Fund for purposes other than rendering relief to the tsunami victims, the forum said. While the Government was expected to help the victims of other calamities, the money for this should not be taken from the contributions meant for the tsunami victims.

Further, not a single paisa had been spent for building houses for the victims, the forum said. Houses built by voluntary agencies and others were being sought to be passed off as part of relief work by the Government. It was "cruel" that no boats or fishing nets were purchased for the fishermen who had lost all their belongings, the order said.

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

Stories in this Section

KSTP may become financial liability
Government breached public trust: Lok Ayukta
Panchayat leaders elected
`Tsunami victim given Rs.10 lakhs'
`City needs perspective'
Graft: probe ordered
Staggering of school timings mooted
Around The City
In Thiruvananthapuram Today

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu