Kerala govt's financial firm issues notice seeking loan repayment from landslide victims

Thiruvananthapuram: Though the Kerala government has pulled up the banks for not writing off loans to those affected in the landslides, a state government agency has sent notices to a couple of victims seeking loan repayment.

The Kerala State Financial Enterprises (KSFE), which issued the notice, wriggled out of the row by claiming that it was a technical error.

Notices were issued to two natives of the landslide affected Chooralmala by the local branch of KSFE following default in loan payment.

Both of them had lost their houses and are now staying at temporary shelters provided by the government.

KSFE chairman K Varadarajan said that it was a technical glitch and no further steps would be initiated.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself had urged at a meeting with the State Level Bankers Committee that the banks should write off loans to landslide victims.

But a decision of banks is still pending. The total loan dues of landslide hit people amounted to Rs. 35.3 crore. Kerala Bank (state cooperative bank), only announced waiver of loan dues.