BENGALURU: A team of senior officers from the Central Government will visit flood-hit areas in the State to assess the damage caused by heavy rains and floods. A senior official from the State Disaster Management Department told TNSE that the team was expected to visit Karnataka early next week.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is expected to visit New Delhi to seek funds for taking up flood relief works after the central team’s visit. The recent office memorandum from Disaster Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, said a team of six officers, including those from the Home Department, Finance, Agriculture, Jalshakthi and Rural Development will do a detailed assessment of the damage and recommend final allocation of funds.
Last week, Yediyurappa had stated that he would visit Delhi soon to seek funds from the Centre. Sources from the CMO said Yediyurappa is expected to fly to Delhi after flood damage assessment by the central team. “He will carry the report and meet the concerned ministry in Delhi,” sources said. In all, 43,827 hectares of agricultural land and 48,696 hectares of horticultural land have been damaged.
The government is yet to make a final assessment of the damage caused. The State’s latest assessment has put the loss due to monsoon fury close to Rs 10,000 crore. In a video conference with the Prime Minister recently, State Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Revenue Minister R Ashoka, based on the initial assessment of the damage, had sought Rs 4,000 crore financial assistance.