Karna seeks Rs 1,118 crore relief from Centre for flood relief

The Karnataka government has asked the Centre to release Rs 1,118.40 crore to take up relief works in rain-battered Kodagu district, Malnad region and coastal parts of the state.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy today submitted a memorandum to Union Home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi, estimating the loss at Rs 3,486 crore.

The memorandum said the relief claimed was based on preliminary assessment and comprehensive assessment was in process as many villages were inaccessible due to landslides.

In the memorandum, the Karnatakagovernment said Kodagu and other Malnad and coastaldistricts received very heavy rainfall in the range of 700 mmto 1712 mm with the percentage departure from normal rangingfrom 100 to 722 during August 8 to 19.

The rain fury had claimed 65 lives and left a trail of devastation, particularly in Kodagu.

"The entire fertile top soil has been washed away which is likely to adversely affect the local ecology.

Coffee estates have been reduced to a pile of mud due to massive landslides," the memorandum said.

While coffee estates suffered a loss of Rs 1,000 crore, national highways (NH-275, NH-75 and NH-234), state highwaysand major district roads, village roads and forest roads were badly damaged due to rain induced landslides and incessant rainfall, the memorandum said.

"65 human losses were reported due to floods, landslides, house collapse and lightning and thunderstorm since April in Malnad and Coastal districts," the memorandum released here said.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Kumaraswamy said the union home minister gave a patient hearing and said the centre would look into the demand sympathetically.

"He (Rajnath Singh) has assured us that a central team will be sent to assess the damage and once the prime minister (Narendra Modi) returns to Delhi (from Nepal), the memorandum will be handed over to him," the chief minister.