Flood situation: CM Bommai tells babus to be on their toes

As many as 70 people lost their lives and 507 livestock died due to the floods across the state while crops on 1,29,087 hectares and horticulture crops on 7,942 hectares were destroyed.
Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai. (Photo | Express)
Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai. (Photo | Express)

BENGALURU: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has instructed officials to constitute two additional State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) contingents to strengthen rain and flood relief and rescue operations in the state. Bommai, who cancelled his scheduled trip to New Delhi after testing positive for Covid-19, held a video conference on Saturday with Deputy Commissioners of rain-affected districts and the ministers concerned.

As many as 70 people lost their lives and 507 livestock died due to the floods across the state since the onset of the monsoon while crops on 1,29,087 hectares and horticulture crops on 7,942 hectares were destroyed, Bommai was informed.

The officials also furnished the details on the damages to houses, tanks, bridges and roads between June 1 and August 6. Bommai told the officials there was no shortage of funds to take up relief and rehabilitation works as Rs 200 crore has been released for 21 districts. The DCs should disburse compensation for houses destroyed or damaged.

They can also utilise the Rs 657 crore funds available in their accounts, the CM said. Since SDRF and NDRF contingents have been deployed in the flood-hit areas of the state, the DCS should be in touch with them consistently to take up immediate relief and rehabilitation works, Bommai instructed.

Repair and restoration of roads, bridges and electric supply lines should be taken up immediately and power supply in villages should be restored through the Escoms concerned, he said. Adequate stock of electric poles and transformers should be ensured. A crop loss survey should be completed at the earliest and compensation should be disbursed without any delay, Bommai advised.

The Chief Minister asked the officials to issue flood alerts well in advance and instructed them to take action in this regard at Bennehalla in Gadag district, Varada river banks in Haveri district and other places. “Alerts should be issued to villages downstream before releasing waters from reservoirs. Precaution should be taken to prevent a breach of tank bunds. The officials should identify the areas prone to landslides in Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada districts and shift the people in these areas to safer places. People should be provided with good quality food at the care centres,” the CM advised.

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