Cabinet panel formed to assess natural disasters

The State government on Tuesday constituted a cabinet sub-committee to review the situation caused by drought, floods, and other natural disasters.

The committee headed by Revenue Minister R Ashoka, comprises Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa, Health and Family Welfare Minister B Sreeramulu, Housing Minister V Somanna, Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister J C Madhu Swamy, Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhan and Women and Child Development minister Shashikala Jolle, as members.

The sub-committee was formed soon after the central team of officials, assessing damages caused by recent floods, headed by Joint Secretary of Home Ministry Sri Prakash, briefed Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.

He said that the team had visited five districts and Belagavi was the worst affected as sugarcane crop was washed away in several areas.

During the meeting with the Central team, officials estimated losses to be over Rs 32,000 crore. A total of 7 lakh people in more than 15 districts had to be shifted and 4.6 lakh people had taken refuge in relief centres.

According to data released by Chief Minister's office, about 22,000 kilometres of road and 2,828 bridges were damaged.