Viswom's futile exercise

CPI leader Binoy Viswam approaching the Supreme Court against the Centre’s stand of refusing to accept foreign aid for rebuilding flood-hit Kerala, is ridiculous. Accepting or  refusing foreign aid is a policy matter and any amendament regarding this should be discussed in the Parliament. Instead of placing it before the Parliament for discussion, Viswom personally approaching SC is a futile exercise to show that he has done something for the flood victims of Kerala.

The Kerala Government has not yet estimated the property loss in the flood. The govt. doesn't know the exact number of victims staying in rescue shelters. However, the Centre has drafted an aid in tune  with Rs 22000 cr and Viswom's interest should be in getting implemented the package. The state government should be asked to present inmediately the exact loss suffered by the state. Whether the country needs or not theforeign aid, is question to be resolved by the Indian Parliament.

All the MPs individually approaching the Court questioning policy matters is a poor practice.

K A Solaman

Attention medical fraternity

People have started to return to their homes from relief camps. Water at many of the flood hit places are highly contaminated. There are chances for spread of diseases like cholera, jaundice etc.

Kerala Health Department has issued warning  against the spread of jaundice in the wake of cases being reported from several parts. The diseases spread mainly through contaminated water and food. The debris and waste materials after the flood pose a big threat.

So medical teams including doctors, health inspectors and nurses should be deputed by Health Department to help people. Private hospitals also owe responsibility to address the needs of those flood-hit people.

The Military, Navy and the fearless warriors of fishermen community  have saved thousands from downing  and it is now the turn of medical fraternity to avert further causualities.
K A Solaman

Needed more Central fund

In a fine gesture Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appreciated Kerala for fighting against the flood havoc. He complimented the state authorities for their efforts in the adverse condition. NDRF, BSF and RAF are deployed to fight the devastation in the state, stated PM.

Along with, the timely help of people of other areas of Kerala should also be admired. The fishermen of Kerala coastal belt rescued more than 4000 people with their fishing boats.

The financial loss incurred by harvest loss, cattle loss and loss of property is huge. The financial assistance in tune with Rs 760 crore issued by Centre is inadequate. More central fund is immediately needed for bringing flood affected people to normal life. The PM may take quick decision in this regard, it is hoped.

K A Solaman

Free service is no service.

Heavy rains and floods hit normal lives in Kerala. Death toll has crossed 160. The military, police force and many voluntary organizations are rendering possible  help.
Even fishermen from coastal belt have gone to Chengannur, Pathanamthitta  etc. with their boats to help the flood-hit people. The telecom companies including BSNL, Jio, Airtel, Vodafone and Idea have assured to provide free call and data services to the people.

Interestingly, the service of Vodafone and Idea are not available in many parts of Kerala. This is, of course, a sort of cheating by these phone providers. Free service is no service for them. The government must look into the matter.

Arother important point is, the police should be vigilant about thieves in flood affected areas. As most of the houses are abanded by people, thieves will target these places. If not surveilled by police valuable materials would disappear when people return to their homes. It is unwise to think all are good people.

K A Solaman

Anyone sleepless over Mullapperiyar?

Political leadership  in 2011 had hard-pressed common people of Kerala for a protest on the issue of Mullapperiyar dam. But then CM of TN Purachi Thalavi Jayalalithaa ignored all agitations about the death-defying state of Mullapperiyar dam. The scientists of Roorki IIT along with Kerala Congress leader P J Joseph were dead against maintaining  the dam. Joseph was sleepless over the imminent extinction of 30 lakhs of people in nearby districts. Nevertheless, as  known to all, even after seven years of agitation  the dam is wonderfully intact. The solution then accepted was to keep the water level in the dam as low as possible, that is less than 140 feet.

Now, water level in the Mullaperiyar dam has reached 142 feet. The water level continues to rise due to heavy rain in the catchment areas. The 13 spillway shutters have been opened to let out the excess water.

But, thanks to media, none is seen panic about the possible breakdown of the dam. The implication is: consternation is often created by certain unscrupulous politicians assisted by media.

K A Solaman

MK's Burial

The Madras High Court has taken a wise decision by allowing the burial of DMK chief M Karunanidhi on the Marina Beach. Karunanidhi could rest in peace  on the noted Marina beach alongside his mentor and former chief minister C N Annadurai.

However, the big handicap in choosing Marina beach is, it is near the memorial of former chief minister Jayalalithaa, his bete noire all the time. And when commemoration days come there is all the possibility of one's followers to deface the memorial of other unless there is police protection. Graveyards gaining reputation is the order of the day.

K A Solaman

Insecure security

The leakage of security documents of President Ram Nath Kovind’s visit to Kerala, is a serious lapse. The 208-page document titled ‘Secret’ prepared by the police is spread through WhatsApp. The police saying that the document has been provided to all officers on duty and it poses no threat to security, is laughable.

The security document should be intact in the hands of those officers in charge. When it is available to WhatsApp groups its privacy is lost. The incident invokes an investigation because leaking of security documents of the President is a serious offence. Posting it in WhatsApp groups is a wrong action.

K A Solaman

Desperate trollers of Kerala

The new-gen district collectors of Kerala are a little ahead in serving , guiding, motivating and advising youngsters. For instance , Thiruvananthapuram collector K Vasuki has asked the young people of Kerala to utilize their skills and efficiency for the preservation of nature instead of wasting precious time by simply making trolls on social media. Vasuki, of course, enjoys  trolls.

Vasuki wrote: interest shown in trolling should be diverted to preservation of nature and requested the support of all trollers for protection of nature. However, the sad plight of trollers In Kerala is that most of them are grilled by police for trolling fish vendor college girl Hanan, the newly adopted daughter of the government, while thousands of other girls are desperately doing similar works to meet their both ends. As grilling of trollers has turned into  an image building exercise for the government most of the trollers are in jail. Hence, they are not able to do anything in special to save the nature Ms Vasuki.

K A Solaman

Ridiculous Opposition

The peoole of Kuttanad are under severe threat of heavy flood and relief operations are going on at its peak. The civil administration has done yeoman service to reduce the miseries caused by flood. Though CM, due to his busy schedule, could not visit the affected area his cabinet colleague and PWD minister G Sudhakaran is at Kuttanadu all the time giving necessary instructions to coordinate the relief work.

However, opposition parties took a different stand not to cooporate with the relief programmes. Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala even boycotted the meeting convened to review the flood-relief operations in Kuttanad. More interestingly, Congress leaders K.C. Venugopal and Kodikunnil Suresh, MPs, too abstained from the meeting. This is quite unfortunate.

Like the ruling political parties, the Opposition has also the responsibility' to lend a helpirg hand to people of flood-ravaged places. Instead of doing this the Opposition parties making political milage out of it, is rather ridiculous.

K A Solaman