K’taka floods: CM meets central team, pegs loss at over Rs 30,000 cr

Team Udayavani, Aug 25, 2019, 11:07 AM IST

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Saturday told an inter-ministerial central team visiting the state to assess the damage caused by the recent floods that the overall loss incurred was estimated to be over Rs 30,000 crore.

Overall, losses incurred are estimated to be more than Rs 30,000 crore. So far, the state government has released Rs 309 crore for rescue and relief measures, Yediyurappa said.

Speaking to the team that met him details of which were made available to media, he said thousands of families have lost everything and have to re-build their life from scratch.

Thanking the Ministry of Home Affairs for sending the study team, Yediyurappa requested it to make a ‘realistic assessment’ of the damage, losses incurred and recommend ‘suitable and reasonable’ compensation.

“Our officers will provide the necessary data and documents required. We expect substantial support from the Centre for relief measures and for reconstruction of infrastructure facilities as well,” he said.

The inter-ministerial Central team was visiting Karnataka for four days beginning Saturday to assess the damage caused by the recent floods.

The decision to send the team was taken after Home Minister Amit Shah conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas in Karnataka, Union Home Ministry officials had said on Friday.

During his discussion with the team, the Chief Minister told them that Karnataka has received +279 per cent rainfall between August 3 and 9, which is highest ever since the last 118 years.

Pointing out that due to heavy rains in Maharashtra inflow into river Krishna had crossed 5 lakh cusecs per day, which had resulted in massive floods in north Karnataka, he said heavy rains in Malnad and coastal region had caused landslides.

As many as 103 taluks in 22 districts were flood- affected, and around seven lakh people were shifted to safe areas.

The death toll has reached 87 persons due to flood and landslides in the state, where around 2.3 lakh houses were damaged, out of which 1. 79 lakh houses were fully damaged.

More than 7.82 lakh hectares of crop loss was estimated in the preliminary assessment, and 35,000 kms of road, 2,828 bridges, 57,000 electric poles, 14,076 transformers and 3,724 power supply lines were severely damaged, official data shows.

During the floods as many as 1,465 relief camps were opened for nearly 4.6 lakh people, where they were provided with food, clean drinking water and medical help, Yediyurappa said, pointing out that the state government has decided to provide financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for each family whose houses have been completely damaged.

Enhanced gratuitous relief of Rs 10,000 per family was being paid to 1.87 lakh families, he said, adding that ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the next of the kin of the deceased was being paid.