A six-member central team would visit Karnataka on September 7 for three days to survey the flood-hit districts for assessing damage caused by heavy rains and granting relief aid, a minister said on Thursday.
“The team, led by Union Ministry of Home Affairs joint secretary K.V. Pratap will survey the 5 flood-hit districts in the southern, coastal and northwest regions of the state on September 7 to assess the losses for compensation,” state Revenue Minister R. Ashoka told reporters here.
The worst-hit districts are Bagalkot, Belagavi, Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu and Vijayapura.
The state government has compiled a report on the havoc wreaked by incessant rains and flash floods in dozen districts across the southern state.
“The loss is estimated to be about Rs 4,800 crore due to damage to houses, buildings, roads, bridges and state highways by rains and floods in July and August, as the southwest monsoon was active and widespread,” said Ashoka.
“The team will also hold talks with Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on September 7 after surveying the affected districts,” said Ashoka.
On September 8, the team will also visit headquarters of the affected districts for spot assessment of the damage with the officials.
“On September 9, the team will discuss the situation with me and the revenue secretary and other officials for a first-hand account of the assessment,” he said.
About 20 people died in heavy rains and flood-related incidents, displaced about 4,000 people and damaged over 7,000 houses, while 1.4 lakh hectares of agricultural land suffered crop loss.
The central government released Rs 395 crore in August for rescue and relief works in the affected districts.
Taking stock of the grim situation in the affected districts, the Chief Minister said at Belagavi on August 25 that he would seek more central funds for relief works and aid to the affected people.
As governance and administrative work has been affected by the coronavirus 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.
Belagavi is about 500 kms northwest of Bengaluru in the southern state.
Though timely southwest monsoon since June with heavy and widespread rains across the state filled reservoirs and water bodies, release of excess water and discharges from rain-hit Maharashtra dams in the Krishna river led to flooding of villages in low-lying areas, damage to farmland, roads, bridges and houses in the state’s northwest districts in July-August.
–IANS
