Karnataka govt seeks report on rain-related damage

PTI, Nov 17, 2021, 5:27 PM IST

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said he has sought a report on the damage caused to the agriculture and horticulture crops due to continuous downpour in several parts of the state for the past fortnight.

”The unexpected downpour is continuing and there are signals that it will extend for another four to five days due to depression in the Bay of Bengal.

Its effect is evident in Bengaluru and a few other districts such as damage to the roads, crops and inability to move out and water gushing into houses,” the Chief Minister told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

He said he has issued directions to officials concerned regarding the measures to be taken once the rain stops.

”We are also assessing the crop loss in various districts due to rains, to provide compensation to farmers.

Today I am going to hold a meeting with officials on procurement under the Minimum Support Price (MSP). We are monitoring the situation,” Bommai said.

He added he has directed the horticulture department to submit a status report on the impact of rain on vegetables and fruits. Since Bengaluru is also battered by the heavy rains, Bommai said he said once the rain stops, they have take up road repair work, lay underground drains at an estimated cost of Rs 280 crore in the 110 villages, which were added to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in 2005-06. Relief operations will also be taken up in low-lying areas and more personnel will be pressed into service.

Four Bengaluru specific State Disaster Response Force will be constituted.

According to Bommai, the confusion over taking up repair work in Bengaluru has been resolved and it has been decided that the maintenance contractors should take it up.

If they refuse, then the civic agency should undertake road repair work, holding back the security deposit of the maintenance contractors, the Chief Minister explained.

The city has been witnessing heavy rains for more than a fortnight and meteorologists have predicted rainfall for the next 48 to 72 hours in many parts of the state.