JOIN USOfficial's 'relief' announcement creates flutter
The district authorities are sitting with their fingers crossed and are tight lipped about the payment of immediate succour to the flood-affected people.
Though Goel’s announcement sounds music for the displaced, it has turned out to be a major embarrassment for the district administration.
Tahsildars and other revenue staff who are directly involved in the relief and rescue operations are facing the music.
Officials mum
When contacted, the district authorities refused comment on the statement made by their divisional boss.
However, they confirmed that there was no provision whatsoever for the payment of compensation of the kind announced by Goel.
“We are also perplexed. We are waiting for the decision to be taken by the District in-charge minister Laxman Savadi. We have also sought a clarification from the government in this regard,’’ an officer remarked.
Goel, who was on leave, was called back by the government. He made the announcement of payment of Rs 500 during his visit to a gruel centre at Jewargi on Sunday.
The Information Department issued the Regional Commissioner’s statement and was reported in the media on Monday. If the statement is implemented, a family of five members should get Rs 2,500.
What the regional commissioner did not comprehend was the huge financial implication of his unilateral announcement.
Costly relief!
In Gulbarga district alone, as per the official figures, 33,700 families have been displaced by floods resulting in shifting of 1,68,500 persons to gruel centres. At the rate of Rs 500 per person the decision would cost the district administration Rs 8.4 crore! And it does not stop here.
It has to apply to all the five districts of Gulbarga region namely Gulbarga, Bidar, Raichur, Koppal, and Bellary. It is left to one’s imagination to calculate the required funds to pay relief.
Meanwhile, the government on Monday released Rs 13 crore for taking up flood relief works in the district.