Heavy rains: CM Bommai directs officials to act swiftly towards relief ops

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that concerned officials were directed to relocate people from flood and landslide-affected places to safer zones.

Addressing the media on Friday, he said, “Very heavy rains were observed in around 13 districts including coastal and Malnad regions and about 17 taluks. From June till date, 12 people and 65 animals have died”.

“The state government has decided to release Rs 10,000 each immediately towards the houses damaged. Once the rain comes under control,  compensation for crop damage would be released”, he added.

Speaking about the rescue and relief operations, CM Bommai said, “Already the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in Mangaluru and Kodagu. All the MDs of various electricity supply companies have been directed to repair the electricity lines. Officials have been directed to take necessary action towards sea erosion with immediate effect and later provide permanent solutions”.

He said that damage is being assessed and the complete picture will be known in another three to four days. “A corpus of Rs 735 cr has been given to the Deputy Commissioners in the state for relief work”, Bommai said.

Instructions have been issued to officers to keep a track of water released from the dams of Maharashtra, he added.