From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Nov 29: The State Government will be writing to the Union government seeking additional Central grants to Karnataka towards largescale crop damages and losses in the State during the recent heavy rains and floods in several districts, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Monday.

The Chief Minister, who had visited the Siddagangamath in Tumakuru district to participate in the ‘Laksha Pushpa Bilvarchane’ programme to mark the second anniversary of Sri Shivakumar Swamiji, spoke to reporters after the function.

Bommai said he has asked the State Finance Department to write to the Union Disaster Management Department Secretary seeking additional financial grants towards sanctioning compensation to the farmers.

The Chief Minister said the government has already written to the Union government to send a Central team to assess the damages and losses to the standing crops. The State government has already conducted its own survey of the crop damages, he said.

He said the district administrations already have Rs 685 crore towards crop losses. In some districts, payment of compensation to farmers has already been started, he said.

Stringent Precautions for Covid Control

The Chief Minister said clusters of Covid infected people is found in some of the districts and stringent precautions are being taken by setting up containment zones to test the infected persons and they have been quarantined. Samples have also been sent for genome sequencing.

He said all international arrivals are being tested in the airport and they will be allowed to enter the city only after receiving negative test repots. Directions have been issued to strictly follow the order.

All the people arriving from Kerala are also being strictly monitored and strict Covid norms are being followed in all districts. The Kerala nursing staff are also being strictly monitored, he said.

The Chief Minister pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directions and the advice of the Union Health Ministry on the detection of new Covid variant Omicron are also being strictly enforced in the State. Schools and Colleges have also been asked to ensure that the Covid safety norms and protocols are strictly followed, especially in places where large number of students assemble, he added.