Asianet News LIVETHON: CM's office intervenes after bank deducts money from Wayanad survivors' account

Kerala Chief Minister's office intervened after a rural bank in Wayanad deducted money as EMI from accounts of landslide victims who received government aid, demanding loan repayments. An investigation and a report have been ordered in the incident.

Thiruvananthapuram: The Chief Minister's office has stepped in regarding the Gramin Bank in Chooralmala, Wayanad, which seized EMIs from landslide survivors who had just received emergency financial aid from the government. This action follows a report by Asianet News during its third edition 'Livethon' programme for Wayanad. The Chief Minister has requested an investigation into the incident and has asked the Collector to submit a detailed report.

For people like Minimol from Punchirimattom, who had taken a loan of Rs 50,000 from the Gramin Bank in Chooralmala for house construction, the bank seized the money. The amount, which was kept aside for urgent needs, was immediately deducted by the bank as soon as the emergency financial assistance from the government was credited to the account.

In the landslide-affected area, she had hoped that the loan repayment would be temporarily suspended. However, she was shocked when the money was suddenly deducted from her account. This is not just her problem. Estate workers from Mundakkai, Chooralmala, and Punchirimattam had heavily relied on the Gramin Bank for loans. The money of these poor landslide victims was seized as soon as the government assistance was credited to their accounts.

Meanwhile, her distress was alleviated when Anil Pothuval, a Kerala native working in Dubai, offered to take over her loan of 50,000 rupees. Anil, hailing from Kasargod, came across Minimol's story through Asianet News and promptly offered to help her by assuming responsibility for her loan.