Monitoring cells to coordinate relief steps

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The State government decided to set up monitoring cells at Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod to coordinate and supervise the relief measures for endosulfan victims in the state.Briefing media persons after the Cabinet meet here on Wednesday, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that the monitoring cell at the capital would be coordinated by a committee comprising of the Health, Agriculture and Social Welfare ministers and the respective secretaries of the departments.The Chief Minister said that the monitoring cell at Kasargod would be under the responsibility of a deputy collector, for which an additional post has been sanctioned by the Cabinet.  He said that the Cabinet also gave approval to the decisions taken at the all-party meeting convened to discuss the encroachments in Munnar.The Cabinet  sanctioned Rs 15,000 each to those whose houses did not have latrines in the three villages of Wayanad which have been hit by cholera.Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan had written to the Chief Minister to immediately provide relief to the tribals who had been hit by cholera, including monetary assistance of Rs 10 lakh for the relatives of victims who died of the disease.   He said that the government was ready to hold discussions with the student organisations which were holding agitations against the government raising the self-financing colleges admission issue. “The government did not go even an inch backward from the stand taken by the previous government. Where were these student organisations during the last five years?,’’ the Chief Minister asked. PostingsThe Cabinet decided to appoint V Venu as the new secretary of Food and Civil Supplies Department, S M Vijayanand as the new director of IMG, James Varghese as the secretary of the Local Self-Government Department and K B Valsalakumari as the new director of Survey and Land Records Department. While principal secretary of Forest Department Sajan Peter had been given the additional charge of Cultural Affairs Department, Muhammed Sagir has been appointed director, Higher Secondary Department.T Asifali has been appointed as Director- General of prosecutions.