Members of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) were found to be involved in stealing from the money meant for the flood-affected in the state. While an investigation revealed that the scamsters, including a government official and two CPM local committee members in Ernakulam district, stole a total of Rs 27 lakh from Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund to their own accounts.
On Monday, the police arrested the accused, Vishnu Prasad and later a local CPI(M) leader called Nidhin and his wife, and Mahesh who is an associate of CPI(M) Thrikkakkara (East) local committee member M M Anwar.
The news came at a time where more than thousands have been waiting to receive compensation that they were told of getting.
The fraud did not only meant the needy not getting what they needed but also its a wastage of efforts by that who donated their earnings thinking it will be utilised in a better manner.
Many of the affected did not get anything beyond the initial meagre compensation, and the reconstruction process dragged on, leading to allegations of mismanagement.
Severe flooding and landslides exactly a year later only added to its misery. But that’s no excuse to allow pilferage of money while those who should have got it to continue to suffer.
While the government was engaged in reconstruction efforts, it is shocking how it failed to put in place a foolproof system to manage the funds it had.
