With rescue operations in rain-ravaged Kerala nearly over, the focus is now on a massive clean-up drive, even as the row over accepting foreign aid for relief work saw the Congress and Left attacking the Centre which justified its stand.
More than 50,000 volunteers have taken up the task of cleaning houses and public places filled with mud deposits and debris dumped by the floodwaters in the rain fury.
A control room has been set up here to coordinate the cleaning process across the state, official sources said today, adding civic bodies have been entrusted with the task of managing the work.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan undertook a tour of relief camps spread across four districts and assured people all help for their rehabilitation and repair of houses damaged in the rain fury that has claimed 231 lives since August 8.
At least 10.10 lakh people are still lodged in camps.
The aid row hogged attention for the second day today as Congress, CPI-M and CPI trained its guns on the Centre asking it to remove obstacles in accepting foreign aid for the rain-ravaged state, including Rs 700 crore offered by the UAE, even as government justified the stand.
The European Union today announced an assistance of Euro 190,000 (Rs 1.53 crore) in aid funding to the Indian Red Cross Society for providing immediate relief to the flood-hit.
Union Minister Alphons Kannanthanam defended the Centre's decision, saying in refusing foreign aid for the flood-hit state, the government has followed a 14-year convention it "inherited" from previous governments of not accepting such assistance in the face of natural calamities.
Joining the issue, CPI(M) Kerala state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said Centre should make changes in the convention to get Kerala assistance from foreign countries.
AICC general secretary and former chief minister Oommen Chandy has shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to modify rules, if any, to facilitate foreign funding for rebuilding the flood-ravaged state.
CPI national general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy accused the Centre of "standing on false prestige" on the issue of foreign aid at times of natural disasters.
Talking to reporters here tonight, Vijayan said the state would draw up a detailed rehabilitation package for repairing and constructing homes destroyed in the deluge.
To a question on the acceptance of foreign aid and the Centre's stand on the issue, Vijayan said "more clarity has to come.It has not come so far."
Vijayan said "This is not the time for dispute. The government's focus now is to solve the problems being faced by the people and so it seeks the unity and cooperation of all."
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