Flood relief is no gimmick: DV

 
Speaking to the media persons here prior to the inauguration of the four laning of the Malpe-Molakalumur State Highway on Saturday, he declined the charges made by the opposition leader and other Congress leaders in the assembly and said that the entire government is sweating it out to tackle the consequences of the devastating floods in North Karnataka region.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa is doing overtime by spending more than 20 hours a day on the relief aspects, he added. He said that the CM is in constant touch with the Deputy Commissioners of the affected districts and has instructed them to keep in constant touch with the officials at the hobli and village level to update with the latest position.

He had even instructed the in-charge ministers of the affected districts to camp in their respective districts to concentrate on the relief works, Gowda said.

The CM has called an all party meeting at the Vidhana Soudha on Sunday and those who are making allegations against the government on the issue of flood relief, may better do their homework properly before attending the meeting, he cautioned. Replying to a query, Gowda said that the deep anguish of the people in the flood affected areas was quite natural.

The calamity was not restricted to one district but to 17 districts in the State. And the government had taken all steps to speed up the relief works with the instructions to the officials even at the hobli level.

The government was concentrating on providing immediate relief and solutions to the flood victims such as food, medicine and temporary shelter, he said. Replying to another query on the condition of NH-17, Gowda said that the government has already spent Rs 50 lakh for filling the pot holes of the roads in Udupi district which had been damaged due to heavy rains. Due to continued rains after the filling work, the roads have been further damaged. At least Rs 1 lakh is needed to do the repair works on one kilometre of the NH. The National Highway department at present can only spare Rs 48,000 per km, he said.