4 Toilets For 800 at Relief Camps, Flood of Anger Lashes Pinarayi Vijayan

People complained that CM’s visit was a sham, wanted to know where dry land is available for burying dead animals.

Thiruvananthapuram: All the floodgates of anger were opened by people in relief camps when they saw Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Thursday.

The CM had visited the relief camps to comfort the displaced, but it turn he got a ear-full with many asking him what took him so long to come.

While many complained that his arrival was very late, others complained about poor distribution of food, lack of toilet facilities, snake menace and contaminated drinking waters.

A woman was heard shouting that there were only four toilets in the camp of 800 people. Vijayan murmured that he will make arrangements for more.

People asked him where on earth will they bury dead animals and the muck and waste due to the floods.

In a whirlwind tour, the CM spent just 10-15 minutes in each camp and returned to the state capital in two hours. This has also angered many at the camps.

“His visit was only a ritual. In a sense it was a touch and go. We could not tell him about our mounting problems,” said Meenakshi Amma at a relief camp in North Paravur. But many complained that his visit was “customary in nature” and policemen prevented them from airing their grievances.

He conceded that in a disaster of such magnitude, there would be some flaws and the government would correct them. “The government is with you. We will do everything possible to help you get back to your feet,” he said in another camp.

But people were not ready to listen to him.