Activists call for probe into secretive Assembly panel visit to Kerala’s Aralam farm on March 28, citing lack of transparency and no stakeholder notification.
An investigation was ordered on Friday into the alleged secrecy surrounding an Assembly panel’s visit to the Aralam farm in Kerala, activists said.
Details of the panel's visit
The panel, comprising members of the state legislature, inspected the farm on March 28 without notifying local stakeholders. Officials did not release a public itinerary, and no press briefings followed the inspection.
Activist allegations
Sreeraman Koyyon, president of the Adivasi Dalit Munnetta Samithi, said the lack of transparency was intended to block discussion of corruption in the tribal rehabilitation area.
"The closed visit prevents community leaders from raising concerns about fund misallocation over the past decade," Koyyon said in a statement released to the press.
The group filed a petition with the state assembly demanding a formal probe, alleging that irregularities in land‑use approvals and project financing have gone unchecked.
Government response
The Chief Minister’s office confirmed that a probe will be launched but declined to comment on the specific allegations. A senior bureaucrat said the investigation will examine whether standard procedural rules were followed during the panel’s inspection.
Background on the tribal rehabilitation area
For more than ten years, the tribal rehabilitation zone around Aralam has been the focus of government‑led development schemes. Official reports note that the area hosts several resettlement projects aimed at improving housing and livelihood opportunities for Adivasi and Dalit communities.
Human‑rights observers have previously warned that delays and opaque funding mechanisms can hinder project outcomes, though those observations remain part of broader contextual analysis rather than verified findings in this case.
Next steps
The assembly’s oversight committee is expected to submit a preliminary report within 30 days. If the probe uncovers procedural breaches, the committee may recommend disciplinary action against officials involved in the visit.
Activists said they will monitor the inquiry closely and plan to hold a public rally after the report’s release.
0 Comments