Landslide survivors in Wayanad allege worm-infested food kits, DYFI holds protest

Wayanad (Kerala), Nov 7 (PTI) Survivors of the landslides in Chooralmala-Mundakai in Wayanad district alleged on Thursday that they were given worm-infested food kits by the Meppadi Grama Panchayat, leading to a protest by the DYFI.

The Meppadi Panchayat is governed by the Congress-led UDF.

The state government announced that a probe would be carried out into the incident if required. Taking serious note of the matter, the State Food Commission sought a report from the district authorities.

The protest began with the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activists displaying the allegedly contaminated food items and staging a sit-in.

The DYFI is the youth wing of the CPI(M).

Tensions escalated around 11.30 am when DYFI activists broke through the police cordon and entered the panchayat president's chamber, creating a tense standoff.

The ruling members maintained that the people's representatives were unaware of the incident, attributing the issue to a failure at the official level. However, the protesters were blocked by police officers and panchayat members, leading to clashes.

According to panchayat authorities, five people were injured, including the panchayat president, K Babu, and four members, who have been admitted to a hospital.

Earlier, there were complaints that the food kits distributed by the Meppadi Grama Panchayat to landslide victims contained worm-infested rice, rava, and atta.

Subsequently, on Thursday, DYFI activists staged a sit-in protest, placing the contaminated rice in front of the panchayat office to highlight the issue.

The DYFI workers alleged that they were manhandled by members of the local body governed by the Congress-led UDF. However, UDF members claimed that the protesters attempted to force their way into the panchayat president's office and made casteist remarks against him. Though the Panchayat authorities explained that the contaminated food items were distributed due to a lapse by Revenue Department officials, DYFI activists refused to disperse.

They also staged a protest at EMS Hall, where the Panchayat stores food kits. DYFI leaders alleged that the Panchayat authorities had stored the food kits in the hall without distributing them. They pointed out that many of the packed food items were past their expiry dates.

Tensions flared once again when the police blocked BJP workers who were staging a protest at the Panchayat office. The situation escalated as police officers forcibly removed the protesters from the location.

Meanwhile, Panchayat authorities claimed that they had only supplied food kits donated by the Revenue Department and other charitable organisations from the District Collectorate.

"We have been distributing the food kits for the past three months without any issues. The alleged kits were supplied by the District Collectorate, and the complaint was made on 29 October. We suspect there is some mystery behind this incident, which came to light during the by-election," said a Panchayat member.

According to him, the protesters forced their way into the office while the president was holding a meeting to examine the matter. The members of the Panchayat are not involved in the distribution of food kits due to the model code of conduct for the election.

The protests that continued in front of the office for hours were later called off following assurance from Revenue officials that they will supply fresh food kits on Thursday itself.

Responding to the matter, Revenue Minister K Rajan said that no errors had occurred on the Department's part, adding that the state government would carry out a probe if required.

"It's shocking. However, the alleged rice distributed to the survivors was not supplied by the Revenue Department. The department last supplied on October 31 and November 1. The government is supplying 52 kg of rice to each family, provided in 26 kg kits. The rice and maida found were packed in small packets," he said.

The Congress alleged that the food materials were distributed to the landslide victims without conducting a quality assurance test by the Food and Safety department.

"The Food Safety Department is responsible for carrying out the quality assurance tests. The food, essential items, even clothes were handed over to Panchayat by the Revenue Department without conducting any such examinations," said Congress leader and Kalpetta MLA T Siddique.

The Kerala State Food Commission sought a report on the incident. Commission Chairman Ginu Zacharia Oommen directed the Additional District Magistrate to carry out an immediate inquiry into the matter and to send the report by email on the same day.

The disaster, which struck on July 30, devastated large parts of three villages --Punchirimattam, Chooralmala, and Mundakkai--along with sections of Attamala in Wayanad.

As per the government, the deadly disaster claimed 231 lives, while 47 people are still missing. PTI ARM ARM KH