Flood Relief: Lack of Unity Among State Politicians

Bangalore, Oct 20 (The Hindu): Politics in flood relief work has surfaced and the unity displayed during the aerial visits of the flood-affected areas by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram followed by that of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has vanished.

It is also a pointer to the fact that flood relief and rehabilitation works will be the centre of discussions within and outside the legislature in the days to come.

The State Government’s move to take an all-party delegation to New Delhi to call on the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to seek an adequate quantum of assistance to the State for the flood relief and rehabilitation works has received a setback with the Opposition parties turning down the invitation that was personally extended to their respective leaders by Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa.

A similar invitation had also been extended to the Union Ministers from the State. The Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) say that such a meeting with the Prime Minister and other Union Ministers is not warranted at the present juncture.

Sources in the State Government told The Hindu that the highlight of the memorandum to be submitted to the Prime Minister was the Rs. 3,000-crore hike in assistance that has been sought.

While in the preliminary report to the Centre a sum of Rs. 16,500 was sought, the State has revised that figure upwards to Rs. 19,500 crore, based on a detailed survey on losses by the deputy commissioners in the districts.

The Chief Minister, who was surprised by the stand of the Opposition initially, decided to go ahead with the appointment with the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister.

The Union Government has asked for a detailed report on the damage caused by rain and floods.

Central team’s visit

A high level nine-member Central team will be in the State for a spot assessment of all the flood-affected districts for three days from Tuesday. They will form three teams to tour the districts.

Decision is premature: Siddaramaiah

BANGALORE: Describing the decision to take an all-party delegation, led by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to New Delhi to seek Central assistance for flood relief work in the State, as “premature”, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislature Assembly Siddaramaiah said the Congress will not be part of it.

Addressing presspersons here on Monday, Siddaramaiah accused Yeddyurappa of “playing politics” in the relief and rehabilitation of the flood-hit victims of north Karnataka.

“Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has already made an aerial survey before releasing Rs. 1,000 crore as interim relief. The Central team will be touring the affected regions from October 21 to 23. What is the need for the Chief Minister to take a delegation at this juncture?” Siddaramaiah asked.

He felt that the Chief Minister should rather ensure that a detailed survey of the damage caused on account of the floods was prepared and submitted to the Centre.

The Congress leader said that the relief and rehabilitation efforts in the State were proceeding at a snail’s pace.

“The Government has admitted that it required at least one lakh temporary sheds. So far, they have not been able to put up even 10,000 of them. The government officials cite non-availability of zinc sheets as the reason for their failure to put up the sheds,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.

The need of the hour was for district in-charge Ministers to remain in the flood-hit regions and supervise the relief operations, he said.