Kerala CM's Appeal Encourages Many To Give A Month's Salary

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's appeal to people to contribute a month's salary in the wake of the flood disaster has elicited positive response from different quarters.

Among the first to respond was Governor P Sathasivam who said on Monday that the appeal was reasonable. "As the first citizen of the state, I have decided to do it and will hand over the cheque to the chief secretary," said Sathasivam, also a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

He had contributed Rs 1 lakh earlier to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. On Monday, he handed over a cheque for the balance amount towards his contribution of one month's salary.

The Chief Minister had also suggested that those interested in contributing a month's salary can do it over a period of 10 months.

The response was fast from others too at the top of the civil service with Kerala Police chief Loknath Behra also chipping in. He told the media that he would pay his month's salary in one installment, and further would explore the same participation from DGP's of other states. He said that he hoped the IPS officers in the state would come out with similar response.

"I have got numerous calls from my colleagues who too have promised to contribute one month's salary. Kerala will bounce back very quickly," said Behra.

Advocate Geeral CP Sudhakara Prasad, Ministers J Mercikutty Amma, Opposition MLA's Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Anwar Sadat, and VS Sivakumar also pledged one month's salary to the fund.