Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan orders vigilance probe into worm-infested relief supplies in Meppadi

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan orders vigilance inquiry into distribution of worm-infested rice and spoiled food to landslide victims in Wayanad, amid political blame-shifting and protests, to determine responsibility and negligence behind the contamination.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has ordered a vigilance inquiry into the distribution of worm-infested rice and other spoiled food items by Meppadi panchayat in Wayanad. The decision follows reports that relief supplies intended for the landslide victims of Chooralmala contained damaged and contaminated food. The inquiry will focus on whether the panchayat distributed old or tampered stock of food grains and will investigate the circumstances surrounding the spoilage of the relief materials. The Chief Minister has instructed that a preliminary report be submitted at the earliest.

The controversy over the distribution of stale food items has triggered a political firestorm in Wayanad, with multiple parties pointing fingers at each other. Key questions regarding who was responsible for providing the kits and whose negligence led to the spoilage remain unanswered. Political blame has been shifting, with the CPM accusing the panchayat administration, while the Congress and BJP are blaming the revenue department and the state government for the lapse. 

In response to the controversy, CPM workers staged a protest march to the Meppadi panchayat, while Congress and BJP leaders have called for the opening of the Kainatty storage center, where the kits were reportedly stored. The issue is now a central topic in the ongoing by-election campaign, with all parties using it as a point of contention.