Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday asked the collectors to make alternative arrangement for accommodating families who are not in a position to return to their homes from the relief camps.
Mr Vijayan, who was addressing the collectors of all districts barring Kasargod, said the process of finding alternative accommodation should be completed in two days. “There are a large number of families whose houses have been destroyed in the floods. Many houses are inhabitable,” he said and asked them to immediately collect the details about the homeless families in each district.
Accommodation has to be arranged for such people in their respective areas. The administration should explore all possibilities to arrange community and marriage halls and big houses without occupants for accommodating the families.
Though kits are being provided to each family on their return, they require special attention and assistance as most have lost everything, including utensils, cooking gas, stove and firewood. The district administration should provide facilities keeping this in mind.
Due to back-to-back bank holidays, Rs 10,000 which was announced for the flood-affected families could not be deposited. Steps should be taken to deposit the amount in the accounts at the earliest.
The carcasses of animals should be disposed of immediately before it becomes a health problem.
The collectors have been directed to personally monitor the disposal of waste in each district. They should direct the local bodies to earmark one or more places for collecting the waste material. Special attention should be given to segregate the waste – non-biodegradable and degradable. In case of any delay in disposing of waste by any local body, the collector should intervene immediately.
The chief secretary will convene a meeting of insurance companies to take up the matter of insurance coverage for the vehicles which were damaged in the floods.
The collectors were asked to get the details of the destruction. The loss should be properly categorised sector-wise.
The animal husbandry department has gathered sufficient fodder for the cattle and the same would be provided to the people.
As schools are reopening on August 29, special focus is needed to clean up the premises. Steps should be taken to ensure that children do not face any health issues.
Drinking water in the affected area is a major issue. The importance should be for cleaning up wells and till that happens, potable drinking water has to be provided to each family.
There are reports of unauthorised fund collection in different parts of the state. This should be checked forthwith. Strict action should be taken against such people with the help of police.
Special counselling programmes have to be organised for people who are still in shock and have not been able to come to terms with the tragedy.
Many people who are returning from camps are extremely poor. These families are not in a position to take their life forward after returning from camps because of financial problems and livelihood issues. The affluent sections and organisations should take the initiative of sponsoring the poor families. The collectors should help in finding such sponsors.
Special public programmes should be organised to facilitate fishermen who rescued hundreds of stranded people.
“Instead of grieving over the tragedy, we need to prepare for building a new Kerala. The required planning and resource mobilisation are required for that purpose. The planning has to happen in each local area and people’s participation should be ensured in each ward,” the chief minister said.
By September 3, the process of issuing certificates will start in each district. The issuance of certificates is a priority.
The collectors were asked to take strong action against traders who have jacked up the prices of essential commodities with the motive of making profit in times of tragedy.
In areas where shops are still closed, alternative arrangements should be made for public distribution system, he said.
