Disaster management committee at GP level: Ashoka

Revenue Minister R Ashoka said that a disaster management committee would be set up at gram panchayat level to aid the district administration in times of need.

Such committees will help the district administration in averting human tragedy similar to the one unfolded at Talacauvery, he said and added that a committee would be set up on a pilot basis in Dakshina Kannada district.

“The committee will have local elected representatives, interested volunteers and will be constituted at the gram panchayat level. State disaster management authority will train these committee members on tackling disasters,” he minister said.

Even the Central government to has sought information on the initiative of constituting disaster management committees at the gram panchayat level. All gram panchayats in the district will have such committees shortly, he said. The Minister earlier directed the officials to distribute compensation to the rain victims immediately without any delay. The victims of flood and people whose houses were damaged due to tree fall should receive a compensation of Rs 10,000.

He said quality food should be given to the rain victims, who have been shifted to relief centres. The officials should ensure that nutritious food is supplied to the victims. Rs 5 crore was released to each district hit by rains, to tackle the situation. MLA Umanath Kotian drew the Minister’s attention to landslides at Gurupura and urged him to release Rs 5 crore. The amount will be spent on construction of a retaining wall to prevent further landslides at the site.

The minister instructed deputy commissioners and revenue officials to evacuate people from their houses in flood-hit areas even if they are reluctant to move out.

He cited the incident where the chief priest of Talacauvery Kshetra and his family allegedly refused to relocate from their home and are now feared buried under a massive landslide. “If people in flood-affected areas are unwilling to relocate, then officials with help of police should evacuate them,” he said.