Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Aug 10: Union minister D V Sadananda Gowda, instructed Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil, to take emergent measures to protect lives and property of the people in the light of natural disaster that has wreaked havoc in the district.

Gowda, who chaired a review meeting about the devastation and relief measures connected to the deluge at the office of the deputy commissioner (DC) on Friday August 9, asked the officer to ensure that houses do not crash at places where sea erosion is happening.

Gowda asked the DC to hold taluk level meetings of officials and people's representatives within the next 15 days to assess losses on account of natural calamity. He asked him to prepare a consolidated report by pooling taluk-wise information so collected and submit the same to the government. He wanted the officials to take into account practicality of the situation when assessing losses and uphold humanitarian concern. He said that he has already taken up the issue of damage to national highway inflicted by the rain with union minister for highways, Nitin Gadkari, and that the minister has asked the concerned to submit a report.

The DC explained that relief centers have been set up at Kalmakaru, Subrahmanya, and Bantwal. "We have prepared kit of essential items. We are also shifting people at risk to safer places," he stated. He added that nodal officers have been monitoring rescue and relief operations, 20 boats have been kept ready for operations, in addition to firemen and police staff, 40 personnel of the natural disaster relief force and over a hundred home guards have been deployed. He said that there is a balance of Rs 21.63 crore in the natural disaster relief fund.

The DC revealed that two have died in the district due to rain, and till August 9, 207 houses were damaged, causing a loss of Rs 28.56 lac. Six cattle have died, he added. The district health officer informed that 813 people have been afflicted with dengue and four have died.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel asked the officials to immediately respond to situations like landslide. He advised the officials to clear dangerous trees and replace old power lines.

Zilla panchayat president Meenakshi Shantigodu, MLAs Sanjeeva Matandoor, Rajesh Naik, Umanath Kotian, U T Khader and superintendent of police Laxmi Prasad, were present.