Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru (SS)

Bengaluru, Sep 1: The state incurred a loss of Rs 7,548.13 crore and as many as 96 people lost their lives due to rains and floods in the last two months of July and August. Revenue Minister R Ashok said the state has sought a financial assistance of Rs 1012.5 crore as compensation from the centre under the National Disaster Rehabilitation Fund.

Speaking to reporters, he said 5.51 lac hectares of agricultural land was damaged as a result of which there was a crop loss. Besides, 17,000 hectares of agricultural land engaged in horticultural crop cultivation and crops in 12,000 regions have been destroyed totalling about 5.8 lac hectares of land. Also, due to the rains 22,734 km of roads, 1471 bridges, 199 minor irrigation lakes, 6998 school buildings, 236 primary health centres, 3,189 anganwadi centres and properties owned by gram panchayats were destroyed. At the same time, 25,052 electric poles and 2,221 transformers were destroyed apart from 497 km of electric connection were cut off, the minister explained.

Ashok said till now 8,217 people have been relocated to safer places and 82 relief centres have been opened with about 7,959 people being rehabilitated. He said relief measures have been taken in flood-hit areas on a war footing and the state government had already released Rs 250 crore towards relief works. He said deputy commissioners have been directed to transfer the compensation amount directly to the bank accounts of the affected families. He claimed that the government had paid higher compensation than other states. He said seven new relief centres have been opened and five NDRF teams have been deployed to protect those affected by the rains and the floods.

The revenue minister said a loss of Rs 7,648.13 had been incurred and an assistance of Rs 1012.5 crore had been sought from the centre under the NDRF norms. Until the Centre releases funds, the revenue department will carry out relief works, he said.

Precautionary measures have been taken by the government in view of the heavy rainfall forecast by the Indian Meteorological Department during the next three days.

The minister said steps have been taken to ease flow of rainwater that has flooded the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway. He said the highway was flooded as the surrounding lakes had breached adding that the highways were not unscientifically laid. Due to heavy rainfall and the filling of the lakes the rainwater had flowed onto the highway, he said.