Chief minister assures Rs 536-cr package to Kodagu

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has assured the people of releasing a special package of Rs 536 crore towards the rehabilitation of flood victims in Kodagu district, which was ravaged by floods.

He chaired a meeting of officials at Sainik School in Koodige near Kushalnagar, during his visit to the district on Thursday.

Gathering information on flood-related damages in the district, he directed the officials concerned to undertake relief measures on a war footing.

“A grant of Rs 100 crore will soon be released towards the same. More grants will be released in the future,” he said.

Kodagu district Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy said that Rs 85 crore grant which was released by the state government earlier has been utilised for urgent measures and only Rs 60 crore is lying in the PD account.

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa meanwhile assured of permitting landowners to sell the sand and wooden logs which have drifted to their land because of floods. He also instructed the deputy commissioner to issue an order in this connection.

CM visits relief centre

Visiting the relief centre at Nelyahudikeri later, the chief minister interacted with the inmates and assured of providing them with necessary compensation.

A rent allowance of Rs 5,000 will be reimbursed to the victims. Also, Rs 50,000 will be provided towards building temporary sheds, after the identification of government sites, he added.

MLA K G Bopaiah requested the chief minister to direct the district administration towards the removal of silt in Harangi reservoir, Lakshmanatheertha and Cauvery rivers.

Also, loan waiver should be provided to coffee growers, who have incurred huge losses owing to floods, he requested.

“Rural areas have been deprived of transport facility due to severed roads. Big buses cannot take passengers on damaged roads. Therefore, minibuses should be sanctioned to the district by the transport department,” he added.

MLA Appachu Ranjan requested the chief minister to direct the district administration to earmark sites for those who are dwelling in the proximity of the river. The encroachments should be cleared, he said.

“The houses in the rehabilitation sites, meant for the floods victims of last year, should be completed and handed over to the beneficiaries soon,” he added.

Revenue Minister R Ashoka, Primary and Secondary Education Minister and District In-charge Suresh Kumar, MLC Sunil Subramani, MLC Veena Achaiah, Zilla Panchayat President B A Harish, Vice President Lokeshwari Gopal, District Superintendent of Police Dr Suman D Pennekar and Kodagu Zilla Panchayat CEO K Lakshmi Priya were present.

CM warns DCF of action

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has warned Prabhakar, Madikeri Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF), of initiating disciplinary action if the officer does not change his attitude.

The chief minister took the DCF to task after MLA K G Bopaiah complained that the forest officials were obstructing the work of supplying power to the tribal hamlet at Maldare.

During the review meeting held at Koodige, Yediyurappa asked Prabhakar why the officials had not made an alternative arrangement to supply power to the tribals residing in Maldare region. The chief minister warned Prabhakar of suspending him if there was no improvement in the work in the next 15 days.