Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 8 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday ordered a vigilance inquiry into reports of worm-infested food kits distributed by the Meppadi Grama Panchayat to survivors of the landslides in Chooralmala-Mundakai, Wayanad district.
The inquiry was ordered based on media reports about the food kits, according to a release from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
Vijayan instructed that a report be submitted immediately.
The investigation follows a note submitted by the Chief Secretary to the CM about the incident. The inquiry will focus on whether the Panchayat distributed old stock or if the food grains were tampered with in any way.
A preliminary investigation has already been conducted, added the release.
Survivors of the landslides in Chooralmala-Mundakai have alleged that they were given worm-infested food kits by the Meppadi Grama Panchayat, leading to a protest by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) on Thursday.
The Meppadi Panchayat is governed by the Congress-led UDF.
Meanwhile, the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) of Wayanad, has submitted an explanation to the State Food Commission regarding the distribution of spoiled food kits. The ADM clarified that the kits, donated by the NGO 'Nirmman' in September, were handed out to the victims by the Panchayat.
He also informed the commission that he had instructed the Panchayat secretary to inspect all food items to ensure inedible items were not distributed.
The ADM's clarification came after the State Food Commission on Thursday sought a report from Wayanad district authorities. The commission also demanded an explanation regarding how the food items became inedible, despite being donated before Onam, and why the distribution process lacked proper quality checks.
Additionally, the commission directed the ADM to collect samples of the food items for testing by the Food Safety Department and submit a report. The commission also instructed that rice supplied by the Revenue Department on October 30 be distributed to beneficiaries without delay.
Revenue Minister K Rajan claimed that the rice distributed to the survivors was not from the Revenue Department, which last supplied rice on October 30 and November 1.
The political controversy surrounding the distribution of stale food items to disaster victims in Wayanad continues to escalate, with the three major political fronts—the CPI(M)-led LDF, Congress-led UDF, and BJP—engaging in a blame game amid the ongoing by-election campaign.
The CPI(M) has blamed the Meppadi Panchayat for distributing contaminated food kits, while the Congress and BJP have criticised the Revenue Department and the state government for alleged negligence in providing relief supplies.
On Friday, CPI(M) workers staged a protest march to the Meppadi Panchayat office. Both the Congress and BJP organised protests demanding the immediate opening of the collection centre at Kainatti in Wayanad, where the kits were stored, to investigate it.
Earlier, complaints had surfaced that the food kits distributed by the Meppadi Grama Panchayat to landslide victims contained worm-infested rice, rava, and atta.