Kerala - Kollam   

Prakash Karat calls for steps to combat natural disasters

Staff Reporter

Keys of houses constructed by CPI(M) for tsunami victims handed over

PARTY GESTURE: CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat symbolically handing over the keys of the houses constructed by his party for the tsunami victims to Fisheries Minister Dominic Presentation at Klapana in Kollam district on Wednesday.

KOLLAM: The keys of the 43 houses constructed by the CPI(M) for the tsunami victims of Alapad were handed over by CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat to the Fisheries Minister Dominic Presentation here today. These houses form the first batch of 69 units being constructed by the party for the tsunami victims of Alapad. Speaking at the function, Mr. Karat said that since the past couple of years the country was being hit by natural calamities and this warranted a mechanism in the form of an institution to deal with such disasters. He wanted sufficient infrastructure and funds to be allocated for the purpose. But the institution could succeed only with popular support and cooperation, he said.

Mr. Karat said the fund-collection drive launched by the CPI(M) for the construction of the houses was in fact an effort of the people. The houses constructed by the party for the tsunami victims were some of the best quality ones to be constructed after a disaster, he claimed. Mr. Presentation said the relief and rehabilitation programme at Alapad was being implemented with the full cooperation of the people. He said that allegation from some quarters that there was no transparency in the Government allocations for the tsunami victims were not at all true.

Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan said the CPI(M) and its feeder organisation cadres had played a commendable role in rescue and relief operations at Alapad soon after the tsunami. But some black sheep had tried to exploit the general generosity towards the tsunami victims and this had resulted in the Government getting confused when it came to identifying some of the real victims. He said that even if it was late, it should be ensured that the real victims got their due compensation. The CPI(M) central committee member P.K. Gurudasan presided and party district secretary K. Rajagopal welcomed the gathering.

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