Kerala Police to tap people's help in anti-graft drive

In a first initiative of its kind, Kerala Police would seek help from people to root out corruption at all levels, Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said on Tuesday.

The programme "Vigilant Kerala, Say No to Corruption" was launched on a pilot basis in 52 local bodies in the state in September last year, and realising it to be very effective, the Kerala government has decided to extend it across the state.

Addressing reporters here along with senior officials of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), Chennithala said in most cases, corruption was detected after everything was over but through this new initiative to draft people's help it would be nipped in the bud.

"What we have done is to set up several layers of committees. The grassroots ones would include the common man. The higher committees would include experts in fighting corruption, officials from the state government, vigilance officials, department heads and the highest body would comprise top vigilance officials," said Chennithala.

These committees would look into complaints from the people over the functioning of all government offices, police stations and civil development works.

"If anyone finds that a particular civil work is not going as per the desired level of performance, it would be brought to the attention of various committees and immediate action would be taken," said Director General of Police (VACB) Vinson M. Paul.

"The maximum time for resolving an issue is 90 days and if the lower committees are unable to do it, it would be taken up at the highest level."

People can report cases of corruption by registering on the website www.vigilantkerala.in.