Belagavi (Karnataka), Aug 25 (IANS): Taking stock of the grim situation in the rain-cum-flood hit districts, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said on Tuesday that he would seek more central funds for relief work and aid to the affected people.
"I will soon visit New Delhi to seek more funds from the central government for relief works and compensation to the people, especially farmers who suffered huge losses from heavy rains and floods in dozen districts across the southern, coastal and northern regions," Yediyurappa told reporters in Kannada after an aerial survey of the affected areas.
As governance and administrative work have been affected by the corona virus pandemic since mid-March, the chief minister said the state government would spend on relief works from the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) till the Centre releases additional funds to the southern state.
"A report on the damage and destruction caused by heavy rains and floods in the affected districts is being prepared to seek additional funds from the Centre as budgetary funds are being spent on fighting the Covid pandemic," said Yediyurappa after reviewing the situation with ministers and officials here.
Belagavi is about 500km northwest of Bengaluru in the southern state.
Though timely southwest monsoon filled reservoirs and water bodies with heavy and widespread rains across the state since June, release of excess water and the discharge from rain-hit Maharashtra dams in the Krishna river led to flooding of villages in low-lying area and damage to farmlands, roads, bridge and houses in the state's northwest districts over the last 3-4 weeks.
"I have directed ministers, legislators and officials from the affected districts to send details of the losses suffered by the people, damage to infrastructure and destruction of properties due to heavy rains and floods for compensation," said Yediyurappa.
The state government has released Rs 412 crore for rescue and relief works in Belagavi district. In addition, Rs 488 crore was released for 44,156 affected people who lost their houses and suffered crop loss in the border district. The state will also spend Rs 174 crore for repairing roads and bridges damaged in heavy rains and overflowing rivers and their tributaries.
State Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who hails from the region and State Revenue Minister R. Ashoka briefed Yediyurappa on the measures taken to restore normalcy in the affected districts.
Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Water Resources and Belagavi district in-charge Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi and Industries and Dharwad district in-charge Minister Jagdish Shettar also gave information on measures taken to manage the flood situation to the chief minister.
According to the initial assessment, loss incurred due to heavy rains and floods in 12 affected districts since August 1 is estimated to be about Rs 4,000 crore.
The state administration has set up 92 relief camps in the affected districts for sheltering 4,485 people, as 385 houses were fully damaged and 7,238 houses partially damaged, while food crops in 89,440 hectares and horticultural crops in 51,803 hectares of land have been destroyed in heavy rains and floods.