Chennithala calls for probe into sand removal at Pampa

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  A Day after revealing the details of the controversial helicopter ride of former chief secretary Tom Jose, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala on Wednesday demanded a comprehensive probe into the decision to grant permission to the Kerala Clays and Ceramics Products Ltd to remove the accumulated sand at Pampa-Triveni. 

Chennithala said he wanted to know who gave nod to sub-let the work to a private agency to remove the sand, which has happened against the Cabinet’s decision and keeping the Forest Department in the dark. He added the sand disposal is yet another corruption scandal of the LDF government following the Sprinklr data transaction row and it has happened without the knowledge of the state forest minister and other top officials in the department.

On the eve of his retirement day, Tom Jose, along with his successor Viswas Mehta and state police chief Loknath Behera, had visited Pampa-Triveni by a chopper. Chennithala alleged the trio had acted against the Cabinet’s decision.

“What was the LDF Government doing in the last two years? How come the sand and silt accumulated at Pampa-Triveni was not removed before? Now under the guise of the Covid-19 and Southwest Monsoon, the government has issued an order using Section 13 of the Disaster Management Act 2005 to remove the sand. This is against the Cabinet rule,” said Chennithala. He also alleged that the order issued by the Pathanamthitta district collector had mentioned the two private companies being asked to remove the accumulated sand.