Vigilance chief Jacob Thomas inspects graft in tribal belt

PALAKKAD: There is lack of transparency in the use of funds by different government departments in the tribal regions of Attappadi and Agali, Vigilance Director Jacob Thomas said. He was speaking to media here on Tuesday during his three-day visit to tribal villages on the basis of several complaints of corruption the vigilance had received in the implementation of projects by as many as 23 different government organisations in the tribal belt in Palakkad district.

“More than an inspection, the intention is to get a firsthand knowledge of life in tribal settlements and how the state machinery functions here,” he added. As a part of his visit he went to tribal settlements in Sambarkode, Dasanur and Boothi-vazhi of Agazhi. On Tuesday, he visited Kottaparam tribal super specialty hospital and Agali Block office.

Sources close to vigilance said that Mr Thomas will be preparing a report on the use of state funds in Attappadi and Agali. Meanwhile, DC has learnt that over 500 tribals, who got one acre each of forest land as per the Forest Rights Act during the fag end of the tenure of the UDF before Assembly polls, came out against authorities saying that no cultivation could be done in their land as it was full of rocks and boulders.