Rain damage: Bommai seeks fair relief as per central guidelines

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the state government has prepared a memorandum on rain damage estimate meticulously and transparently and the Government of India must be recommended to release a fair compensation to Karnataka as per the central guidelines.

He held a meeting with the central team led by Ashish Kumar, Joint Secretary, Union Home Ministry which arrived here on Wednesday to study the flood situation in Karnataka, and also the extensive damage caused due to floods in July, August and the current month. The team members were given details of the damages caused due to floods in July and August months, and relief measures taken up by the state government.

The central team was scheduled to visit Chitradurga, Hassan, Chikmagalur, Haveri, Dharwad, Gadag, Bidar and Kalaburgi districts but the CM suggested them also to visit Kodagu, Dakshina Kannad and Uttara Kannada districts that witnessed the massive landslide, sea erosion and other damages. The team was asked to take a stock of flood situation in Bengaluru City, Mandya and Ramanagar districts.

The central team consists of Mahesh Kumar, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Bhavya Pandey, Assistant Director, Department of Energy, Ashok Kumar from Ministry of Jalshakthi, V V Shastri, Executive Engineer, Union Ministry of Surface Transport and Highways, Dr K Manoharan from Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and S B Tiwari, Under Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development.

Bommai informed the team that this time, a large number of fishing boats, shops and other business establishments had been damaged. In Ramanagar, silk reeling unit and twisting units too have suffered damage. This kind of damage has happened for the first time. It has impacted lives of many people. The team must try to extend the maximum help on the humanitarian ground.

Sea erosion

He said Karnataka has a coastal area of 330 km and works worth Rs 350 crore have been taken up to prevent the sea erosion in several sensitive places. But, the erosion has happened in the new spots. The central government assistance is required for the protection of complete coastal region. The North-Karnataka region too faced unprecedented floods in districts like Kalaburgi, Gadag, Bidar and Koppal. In fact, the State has been receiving intermittent rains since November last year and there is a need to undertake a study of the rain pattern in the state. Almost all the tanks are full and overflowing. Many tanks have breached and caused floods. This situation was quite contrast to the floods caused by overflowing rivers.

Rs 1600 cr for infra repairs

Bommai said since November, Rs 500 crore has been released twice and Rs 600 crore was released two days ago towards restoring infrastructure damages. The state was giving additional input subsidy for the crop loss, and Rs 2452 crore has been disbursed among 18.58 lakh farmers. Out of this, Rs 1160 crore has been borne from the state exchequer. Relief was paid even on the extent of house damage. All the relief amounts are directly released to bank accounts of the affected swiftly and transparently. The CM Bommai said rains have been pouring since last one week causing severe damage in Bengaluru, Ramanagar, Mandya and other districts. A proposal regarding the damages caused in the last one week would be submitted immediately.

Request to give special grant considering it as a special case: CM

A long discussion was held with the central study team on Wednesday and the situation of the state was explained. This is a special occasion as all the lakes are overflowing. Considering this as a special case, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that special grant should be given.

Details have been given about the rains that have come in the last week of July, August and the first week of September. Details have been given that floods have occurred in south and north interiors, Karavali and Bengaluru. I gave details of damage to crops and houses, damage to infrastructure and loss of livestock. They are visiting different districts in four teams and after their visit another meeting will be held and the final appeal will be made. A request was sent last week itself. Speaking to media persons, CM Bommai said that now it will be updated and a detailed appeal will be given again.

The problem faced by the people of Bengaluru is that the lakes are full and the low-lying areas are flooded and the preliminary estimate of the loss has been made. He said that damage to fishermen's boats and soil erosion have been brought to their attention.

In some urban areas, shops and commercial complexes have been affected by water. They are not allowed to provide compensation under NDRF rules. It should be adopted. Compensating fishermen should be adopted. It was emphasized that special compensation should be given for soil erosion. A special grant should be given in view of the fact that the lakes are full. When there is a flood, the water recedes in 2-3 days. But the flood is coming every day. He said that he will give more information and convince after the observation.

A team has been sent to Mahadevpura, Bengaluru. From there, a team will go to Ramanagar, Mandya, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada Udupi, Karwar by helicopter. Another team will go to Chitradurga, Chikkamagaluru and another to Bidar Gulbarga, he said.