Kochi: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Wednesday has asked the Union government to declare Kerala as a drought affected state. A high-level meeting of ministers and government officials will be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday to review the drought situation in many parts of the state.
“Our demand is that Kerala should be declared as a drought affected state,” he told reporters. Describing the situation as unprecedented the CM said that the government has permission from Election Commission to undertake drought relief measures. The CM was speaking to reporters after actor Mammooty called him and offered to cooperate with drought relief operations in the state. The failure of the civil society to take timely measures will result a Latur like situation in Kerala too, the actor said. Mammooty said a meeting of civil society activists and other organisations would be held in Kochi on Thursday to discuss the ways hold drought relief operations in affected areas. The actor said all those interested in such works can attend the meet.
