Udupi: Home Minister Demands Permanent NDRF Contingent for District
News and pics: Hemnath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jul 11: District in-charge minister Dr V S Acharya presided over a meeting of the officials at the office of the deputy commissioner here, to review the losses in the district, on account of rain and the relief works taken up thereon.

Speaking later to the mediamen, Acharya said that the estimated losses the district has suffered so far since April 1 this year due to heavy rains is Rs 29 crore. Due to floods, two lives were lost while two others died due to lightning. Because of the chronic sea erosion at Udyavar Padukere, a fisheries concrete road has been damaged, he explained. Acharya also said that he has demanded for a sum of Rs 10 crore from the state government for undertaking rescue and relief works connected with rain.

Out of Rs 12 crore the district administration has already been vested with, Rs 6.22 crore has been spent towards relief, he stated. He said, he has instructed the officials to be prepared to face any eventuality and minimize the losses to lives and property by taking prompt measures and submit figures thereof. A total of 64 villages were affected due to rains, he informed and added that he has asked the officials not to wait for the rains to damage the roads and instead, repair them in advance so that the people are not put to unnecessary difficulties.

The home minister urged the Prime Minister to permanently station a contingent of National Disaster Response Force in the district, to cater to the emergency relief works of Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts. It may be recalled, that a team of 90 personnel of NDRF have arrived in the district on Friday July 10 to meet exigencies.

Acharya said that a permanent room to preserving relief materials has been set aside in the city, so that there is no need to rush here and there to procure them in times of need. The district administration has already received 12 boats for use in case of floods, he noted. The minister profusely thanked the volunteers of various organizations and the government officials for wholeheartedly working to provide relief to the people affected by heavy rains.

District in-charge deputy commissioner Prasanna Kumar, MLAs K Raghupati Bhat and Lalaji R Mendon, superintendent of police Pravin Madhukar Pawar, assistant commissioner Ramesh and  tahsildar Prasanna were present at the meeting.

The minister also laid the foundation stone for the residential quarters proposed to be built at Beedinagudde in the city for the civic workers of the municipality, at a cost of Rs 40 lac. Member of parliament D V Sadanand Gowda was present. Acharya then visited flood-effected Kamladi village and met Padmanabh Nayak, one of the affected persons.