Date:09/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/09/stories/2007090953340300.htm

Kerala - Alappuzha

Diversion of tsunami funds by panchayat alleged

Staff Reporter

ALAPPUZHA: The Corporate Management of Schools under the Catholic Church’s Alappuzha Diocese have come out against the Left-ruled district panchayat and the State Government alleging diversion of tsunami relief funds and scholarships for children of people living in Tsunami-affected areas on the Alappuzha coast.

Funds from Centre

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, corporate manager of the diocese Xavier Kudiyamssery alleged that the Alappuzha district panchayat had diverted Union Government funds allotted for relief works in tsunami-affected areas and given them to Government schools that were not situated in the tsunami-hit areas.

“The panchayat and the Government have ignored the aided schools in the tsunami-hit areas and have diverted funds worth Rs.8 crore to schools that were not in any way affected by the calamity,” he said.

A meeting of the managements of these schools had decided to observe September 11 as a ‘protest day’.