Will send report to centre on aid for floods after assessing

The Karnataka government on Monday said it was assessing the damage caused by the second spell of floods in the state and would soon send a report to the Centre, seeking aid.

"As there were floods for the second time in the state, our officials are assessing the fresh damage. We have held discussions and at the earliest will send a report on this to the centre," Revenue Minister R Ashoka said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said there have been no rains in the affected regions since Sunday and flood waters have receded.

He said the Met Department has forecast possibility of rains for a day in parts of Belagavi, Bagalkote, Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri, Ballari and Koppal in north Karnataka.

In coastal and Malnad regions too there have been no heavy rains and the cyclone in Arabian Sea has moved towards Oman, he said.

Various parts of the state last week faced a deluge for the second time in two months, killing 13 people and damaging about 10,038 houses.

Ashoka said those affected would be provided the same kind of relief given to those hit by the floods in August.

NDRF and SDRF teams stationed in affected regions would continue to stay put for some more days, he said, adding that officials have been asked to work towards relief and rehabilitation of the affected, without taking holidays.

A total of 2,798 villages in 103 taluks of 22 districts in Karnataka were affected by the rains and floods in August, in which around seven lakh people were shifted to safe areas.

Ninety one people lost their lives and about 3,400 heads of cattle had perished.

The Centre had recently released Rs 1,200 crore as interim relief to the state, which had sent a damage estimate of Rs 35,160.81 crore.

Ashoka said the state government has so far released Rs 6,449.93 crore for flood relief and added that the balance amount of interim relief from the centre would also be given after it was finalised, as per rules.

"Let there be no doubt about it, it will come...Rs 1,200 crore is being utilized to pay compensation for crop damage to farmers, through RTGS directly to their account," he said.

Ashoka said last year's drought relief amount of Rs 1045 crore has also been given by the centre and was now being distributed to farmers.

Noting that there were complaints from farmers that relief amount was being impounded by banks for loans they had received and failed to repay, Ashoka district officials have been instructed to serve notices to banks as this action cannot be taken as per rules.

Referring to defence land in Bengaluru to be taken over by the Corporation for road widening and infrastructure projects, he said the Revenue Department has decided to provide them alternate land of 36.34 acres in other towns.

"In Hassan we are giving 7.14 acres, 17.20 acres in Mandyas Pandavapura and 12 acres in Ramanagaras Magadis taluk and the Defence Department has agreed for it," he added.

Ashoka said that the BJP government after coming to power had taken action against several 'blade companies' which had cheated investors by charging high rates of interest.

The revenue department had taken action against one such firm, Bengaluru based 'B Injaz International Associates Group Company, ordering seizure of their properties, including one worth about Rs 10 crore near Anekal and land in Mysuru.

Since 2014, the company had collected Rs 285 crore from investors, he said.