From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Aug 10: Karnataka has demanded an immediate Central Relief Package when Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a review meeting through video conferencing with different State Chief Ministers on the flood situation in different southern states, especially Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra on Monday.
The Prime Minister has promised to consider the situation seriously and announce suitable relief measures and financial assistance, and expressed condolences to the people who lost their lives and properties and assured that protection of the lives of people and animals, especially cattle, was a matter of top priority for the government.
With Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa being under treatment at the Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru after being tested COVID positive since last Sunday and recovering, the State Government was represented by Revenue Minister R Ashok and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Urban Development Minister Byrathi Basavaraju was also part of the State Government’s team to interact with the Prime Minister during the review meeting.
The Ministers Ashok and Bommai briefed the Prime Minister on the havoc caused in the State due to heavy downpour and floods that caused widespread devastation in the districts of Northern Karnataka, especially Belagavi and Raichuru as well as in Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Shivamogga and Hassan
The Ministers said as many as 885 villages of 56 taluks in 7-8 districts suffered heavy damages and according to preliminary reports 3000 houses had collapsed and over 80,000 hectares of standing crops and coffee, areca plantations were seriously damaged.
In addition to the loss of houses and damages to standing crops of agriculture and plantations, Karnataka has suffered heavy damages to 3,500 km of roads, 104 small irrigation tanks and electricity poles and transformers plus over 394 public buildings as well as basic infrastructure.
Karnataka has urged the Prime Minister to ensure that Rs 395 crore of State’s share of the SDRF be released forthwith to take up urgent relief and rehabilitation measures.
The State Government has also requested the Centre to immediately dispatch 4 NDRF teams to take up rescue and relief measures as the government has already deployed 200 trained SDRF staff, 4 NDRF teams and 4 defence helicopters.
As a long-term relief measure against recurring damages and havoc during floods, the State Government has demanded that the Centre should take steps to install mapping and forewarning systems in the Krishna and Cauvery river basins as well as in the Western Ghats regions on imminent dangers due to landslides. Besides, the State Government has also requested the Prime Minister to direct the Central Geographical Survey Department to conduct a detailed study on the situation in order to take precautionary measures.
The Karnataka Ministers have also asked Modi to direct the Central Water Commission to carry out a comprehensive flood warning system in the Krishna river basin.
Referring to the regular sea erosion damages in the coastal region of Karnataka, the State Government has also asked the Centre take up measures to check sea erosion as part of the National Cycle Mitigation Relief Project and release adequate funds to prevent the havoc due to sea erosion.
Karnataka’s Chief Secretary T M Vijaya Bhaskar, Development Commissioner Vanditha Sharma and Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Ravi Kumar assisted the Revenue Minister and Home Minister in presenting the details to the Prime Minister on behalf of the State Government.