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K’taka incurs ₹7,647cr rain-related losses, seeks ₹1,012 cr from Centre
The Karnataka government has estimated rain-related losses since June to the tune of ₹7,647
The Karnataka government has estimated rain-related losses since June to the tune of ₹7,647.13 crore, and will be sending a proposal to the Centre seeking a relief of ₹1,012.5 crore as per National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) norms.
Karnataka revenue minister R Ashok on Tuesday said, “The state has incurred losses to the tune of ₹7647.13 crore due to heavy rains that continue to pour down on the southern state, leaving a trail of destruction.
“Since June 1, a total of 23,794 houses have been damaged and the crop loss is to the tune of 5.8 lakh hectares. So, we will be requesting for a central relief of ₹1,012.5 crore as per NDRF norms. This does not include the losses due to rains in the last few days,” Ashok said.
“We will get central relief, but the chief minister has given instructions to provide immediate relief without waiting for that,” Ashok said.
In past 24 hours, three deaths, two in Ramanagara and one in Ballari, were reported.
Since the beginning of August, Mandya has received 370% more rains than normal while Tumakuru, Ramanagara, Kolara and Chamarajanagar have registered an increase of 247%, 220%, 167% and 164% respectively, according to data from the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA).
Bengaluru has received 125% more rains than normal, data shows.
“Ramanagara is known as Silk City because of the high quality silk produced here. The silk factories here were damaged due to Monday’s rain. I visited Tipu Nagar in Ramanagara and 150 silk factories here have been damaged by rain,” DK Shivakumar, the president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) said on Tuesday.
Meanwhie, citizens slammed the Basavaraj Bommai-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for the civic apathy.
“@moefcc asked: Impoundment, damming, culverting, realignment or other changes to the hydrology of watercourses or aquifers? KRDCL replied: No. So all this force Majeure they will argue,” Leo Saldhana, an environmentalist, said in a post on Twitter.
He posted the information checklist on the particular stretch of the highway project in which the response was; “No impoundment, damming, culverting, realignment or other changes to the hydrology of surface watercourses is proposed. Weak bridges and culverts will be repaired and maintained.”
Former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy also lashed out at BJP MP Pratap Simha from Mysuru-Kodagu on his claims about the highway.
“He (Simha) put up pictures on social media sitting on heavy machinery as though he had operated the Hitachi (earth mover),” Kumaraswamy said.
“We asked them to build roads but they have built swimming pools,” he chided the two-time MP.
Simha posted on Twitter that he will react to all allegations on Facebook live if he gets better connectivity.
“Respected Kumaranna and DK Sureshanna (DK Suresh of the Congress) do not think otherwise, (we) surveyed all the lakes and canals of Ramanagara district through district administration, revenue and minor irrigation department and cleared the encroachment. Show me wherever the highway is obstructed and leave it to me to fix it,” Simha said in a post.
Simha had earlier claimed that he would complete the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway expansion project by August 15 this year.
