Rain havoc: state to submit fresh memorandum to Centre

Kerala would submit a fresh memorandum to the Centre, seeking assistance for people affected by incessant rains lashing the state for the last two months, Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash said here today.
Speaking to reporters after meeting a central team which assessed the damage caused by rains in various parts of the state, he said the loss due to heavy rains in the agriculture sector alone was more than Rs 480 crore.
Kerala had initially sought Rs 481 crore though it was eligible to get only Rs 221 crore as relief for rain-related destruction as per central criteria. However, the state would submit a fresh memorandum seeking more assistance on the basis of the recent amendments to central guidelines, he said.

A total of 131 rain-related deaths had been reported and more than 2.5 lakh people are staying in relief camps, mostly in Alappuzha district, he said.
The Minister said the Centre would also be requested to include sea erosion in the list of natural calamities as Kerala, with a 550 km coastline, was the worst-affected state on this count during rainy season.
Vumunmang Vualnam, Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry who led the team that visited six districts, said they had an on-the-spot assessment about the destruction caused by the rains and adequate steps would be taken for relief measures.