BENGALURU: With the Union government not coming to the aid of Karnataka even after a Central team submitted its report on the devastation caused by the recent floods in the state, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Friday met Union Home Minister Rajnanth Singh and sought assistance to take up relief and rehabilitation works.
Kumaraswamy, along with former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, briefed Rajnath about the huge destruction caused by heavy rains and floods in Kodagu and other districts, and sought `3,435 crore assistance under the National Disaster Relief Fund.
Kumaraswamy and Gowda had made a similar representation to Prime Minister Modi last month following which a Central team was sent to the state to assess the loss of lives and property. The damage to roads, bridges and public buildings has been assessed to be about Rs 2,078 crore.
Kumaraswamy also met Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari and sought clearance from the Centre to take up the Mekedatu project in the Cauvery basin. The CM, accompanied by H D Revanna, told the minister that the proposed project would not affect the share of Cauvery water to be released by Karnataka, and it would benefit Tamil Nadu too as the proposed reservoir could store the excess water accrued during copious monsoon season which could be used by both the states.