Moily demands Rs 10K-cr package for Kodagu

Parliamentarian and former Union minister M Veerappa Moily has urged the Centre to announce a special package of Rs 10,000 crore to rebuild Kodagu, following massive landslides and floods.

He was speaking to reporters after visiting the landslide- affected areas of Hattihole, Thantipala, Iggodli, Makkandooru, and Madapura on Tuesday.

“The Centre should have announced compensation immediately after the devastation. I do not know why there was a delay in announcing compensation. The state government cannot bear such a huge amount for the rebuilding of the district,” said Moily.

Further, he said that several houses have collapsed and the residents have lost farmland, the source of their livelihood. Geologists should conduct a study to assess the reason for the devastation.

He said that 7,804 hectares of paddy fields have been damaged in the floods and 11,838 hectares of coffee plantations have also been damaged.

An amount Rs 500 crore is required for repairing the damaged National Highway and Rs 605 crore for repairing the PWD roads, said Moily.

He said that he will also visit Kerala to study the flood-affected areas and submit a report to the Centre.

Lauding the district administration, he said the roads were temporarily repaired for light vehicles within a month of the calamity.