Kerala Struggles To Find Its Feet After Deluge, Seeks Funds From Centre

Kerala sought a Rs 2,600 crore special package from the Centre even as the state struggled to find its feet after the devastating deluge that left 223 dead in a fortnight and displaced over 10 lakh people.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan chaired a meeting of the state cabinet, which decided to seek a special package from the centre under the centrally-sponsored schemes including the latter's flagship rural employment programme, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Vijayan said a special session of the state assembly has been convened on Aug. 30 to discuss the situation arising from the calamitous floods—the worst in a century.

The chief minister had earlier said the state had suffered damages of about Rs 20,000 crore. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and two other union ministers have collectively announced interim assistance of Rs 680 crore for the state so far.

Vijayan said Kerala would also ask the Centre to hike the limit of loan it can secure from the open market for the massive rebuilding exercise after 13 of the state's 14 districts were savaged by floods.

Under the present arrangement, Kerala can obtain three percent of its gross state domestic product as loans and wants it to be raised to 4.5 percent so the state can mobilise an additional Rs 10,500 crore from the open market, he said.

Relief poured in from governments of other states, corporate entities and individuals, including small children, have loosened their purse strings. Vijayan said the United Arab Emirates has promised an assistance of $100 million for the state's reconstruction.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, called up Prime Minister Modi and made the offer for assistance, Vijayan said. The state-level bankers committee has also decided to declare a moratorium on repayment of agricultural loan for a year.

Though rains have eased over the last two days, vast swathes of land remain under a seemingly endless sheet of water in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha and Kollam districts.

Though most of those marooned have been evacuated, the state government and defence forces said rescue efforts will continue till the last person was brought to safety. Over 1.63 lakh people were rescued in the last five days alone.

As the state drowned in unprecedented misery, the Onam festival that brings together people of all religious faiths, castes and creed in celebration of a good harvest, too has been washed away, with the government and other entities cancelling the events scheduled for Aug. 25. The money collected for the celebrations will now be spent on flood relief. The Muslim festival of Bakrid tomorrow will also be low key.

"Houses of many people of the community in Thrissur, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts are still under water,” said senior journalist C Rahim. “Many of them have not gone back to their homes."

For people like Ammini, who had to rush to relief camps with only their clothes on, celebrating Onam is the last thing on their mind.

"We don't have anything left, everything has been lost. There is nothing to look forward to. My son is bedridden. I don't know where to go from the camp with my son, daughter-in-law and their child," said the 55-year-old fighting back tears. "We have no home left. We don't know how to take our life forward."

Road and rail services have resumed in most parts of the state but clearing houses of the debris washed up by the surging flood water is a daunting task. Vijayan said a massive action plan is being put in place for that.

The state government, he said, is also preparing a comprehensive health action programme to prevent outbreak of water-borne diseases.