Deputy Commissioners of six districts participate in video-conference to discuss damage during recent rains
Deputy Commissioners of six districts participate in video-conference to discuss damage during recent rains
Following unprecedented rain in Karnataka in the last few days, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai instructed deputy commissioners to visit rain-hit areas to ensure no lapse in the distribution of relief.
The North-East monsoon claimed the lives of 13 persons, and damaged 3,309 houses and standing crops on 6,279 hectares. The South-West monsoon had damaged crops on 9.90 lakh hectares.
During a video-conferencing with deputy commissioners of Dharwad, Davangere, Belagavi, Vijayanagara, Gadag and Kalaburagi districts on October 13, Mr. Bommai said he has received reports of lapses in some places while recording rain-related damage.
The memoranda seeking relief must be based on ground reality. Action must be initiated against staff who show dereliction of duty. The Commissioner of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) must issue a circular to provide additional relief, other than as per NDRF guidelines, for rain damages, the Chief Minister said.
He told the deputy commissioners to visit the spot without fail and issue proper instructions to tahsildars on recording rain-related damage as well as in the distribution of compensation.
Mr. Bommai said input subsidy must be disbursed on priority, and the relief for rain-related damage that occurred in October 2021 must be disbursed within this month after a joint survey immediately.
The damage to infrastructure must be classified depending upon the extent of damage.
“All preventive measures must be taken to check breach of tanks. If tanks are weak, precautions must be taken after taking into account water pressure and other minute details,” he told deputy commissioners.
The construction of bridges must be prioritised. Broken electricity poles and transformers must be repaired within 24 hours and power supply restored, the Chief Minister said.
‘No dearth of funds to distribute compensation for rain-related damage’
Mr. Bommai said preventive measures must be taken to check flash floods that followed unprecedented rains in several districts of Karnataka. “There is no dearth of funds to distribute compensation for house and crop damage. However, with regard to damage to infrastructure, an action plan must be prepared to seek funds and initiate work accordingly,” he said.
With regard to damage to infrastructure, another meeting will be held after three days, the Chief Minister said.
Ministers Govind Karjol and Shashikala Annasaheb Jolle, in-charge ministers of several districts, and senior officials participated in the meeting.
