MUDHOL/BAGALKOT: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa who conducted an aerial survey of some flood-hit areas on Friday said that currently the loss is estimated at around Rs 5,000 crore. He said the Centre has promised funds and assured the state of sending armymen and helicopters to rescue people.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have spoken to me over phone on Thursday night and I apprised them of the flood situation in the state,” he told mediapersons. He said that his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis too spoke to him over phone and assured him all cooperation. “We also spoke about water management and he assured me that soon both states will thrash out all issues related to water,” he said.
The CM appealed to the people to contribute generously to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund account. Currently, in less than 24 hours, the fund has received over Rs 20 crore. Infosys Foundation chairperson Sudha Murty has given Rs 10 crore and Nirani Group of Industries promised Rs 1 crore.
The state government has released Rs 100 crore as flood relief. An additional Rs 10 crore has been given to the district administration of Bagalkot as the district is one of the worst affected, he said. Yediyurappa promised the people of Vijayapura and Bagalkot that he would complete the Upper Krishna Project (UKP) before his tenure ends as Chief Minister.
Manipal students rescued from Badami
Mangaluru: Around 40 students of Manipal University in Udupi who went on a trip to Badami, were rescued at Hosur bridge over the Malaprabha river, in Badami taluk in Bagalkot district. The students went on the trip despite the Indian Meteorological Department clamping a red alert in many districts of Karnataka following incessant rain. The students were stranded near the bridge when the water level started rising. According to a victim who is now at a shelter, they started out in a bus from Bengaluru and reached the bridge on Friday morning. However, she refused to divulge as to when they left Udupi on the tour. The girls were rescued after they reached out to the authorities for help.