Drought: UDF to write to Centre

Accuses LDF govt. of failing to apprise Centre of situation

Minister for Industries A.C. Moideen holding a review meeting in Thrissur on February 11, 2017 to discuss drought-relief measures. Photo: K.K. Najeeb

The Opposition United Democratic Front has said that it would make up for the Left Democratic Front government’s failure to tackle drought conditions in the State by writing to the Centre asking it to urgently send a high-level delegation for evaluating the prevailing situation and the loss suffered by the State on this account.

Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said this at press conference here on Tuesday.

Since declaring the State drought-affected a few months ago, no action had been taken to address the issue so far. The government also failed to take the basic step of preparing a memorandum to the Centre, let alone submitting one. It had failed to tabulate the agriculture losses in Palakkad, Idukki, Wayanad, and Thrissur, the four severely hit districts.

At an earlier conference on drought, the government had sought proposals from legislators, who had submitted them to the

But the Kerala Water Authority had not earmarked any funds for the proposals.

Rice price rise

Opposition Leader also expressed serious concern at the rise in prices of essential commodities, particularly rice.

The failure to rectify issues in PDS supply had pushed up rice price.