CM seeks Rs 2K cr aid from Centre for Kodagu rehab

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately release an interim relief of Rs 2,000 crore to enable rehabilitation process in flood-hit Kodagu.

In a letter dated August 23, Kumaraswamy has written to Modi stating the losses caused by damages to infrastructure, crops, public properties, etc, were to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore (subject to final estimation). The chief minister has however indicated that the estimation of losses might go up, as the assessment was still in process.

Stating that there has been largescale destruction to agricultural crops, coffee, spices, arecanut and other plantation estates, Kumaraswamy has said that the state government was adopting “build back better” concept to rebuild Kodagu.

Kumaraswamy has also thanked the prime minister for enquiring about the situation in Kodagu and also for providing necessary assistance to the state government in the rescue operation.

“Incessant high intensity rain has wreaked havoc in Kodagu and parts of adjoining Malnad and coastal district. The rain-induced landslides have changed the geomorphology and river courses in the region. Arterial roads connecting Kodagu are completely damaged and this has severely hampered movement of relief operation, men and material. From August 14 to 22, as many as 17 persons have been reported dead, and more than 2,200 houses have been damaged,” he has said.

Kumaraswamy has also said that the state government’s effective relief measures has been lauded by President Ram Nath Kovind. “Undeterred by the devastation, the district and the state machinery have risen to the occasion and embarked on immediate relief and restoration work.

Nearly 7,500 people have been provided shelter in 53 relief camps while 50,000 food packets with rice, oil, pulses, salt and sugar are been supplied to more than 4,500 people who have been rescued,” Kumaraswamy added.

Chief minister has also said that the state government was in the process of constructing temporary dwelling units using prefabricated aluminum material to house roughly 10,000 people till permanent structure are constructed.

“The people of Kodagu, by their sheer grit and resilience, have been trying to get back to normalcy. But, this requires liberal assistance from the Centre as many houses and critical infrastructures have been completely flattened due to landslides rendering several thousand families homeless,” the chief minister said.