Kodagu received only Rs 52 cr from NDRF last year

Kodagu district had received approximately Rs 52 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) towards natural calamity relief measures last year.

Kodagu, Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts were affected by flash floods and landslides last year. Kodagu district lost many of its coffee estates owing to landslides. After the team of experts conducted a study on the losses and submitted a report to the Central government, the planters had expected a
special compensation package to Kodagu.

But, the Central government declared total compensation of Rs 546 crore to all the five districts. The farmers were utterly disappointed by the compensation amount.

The farmers, who were able to grow some crop this time amidst all challenges, have come across another huge blow this time, in the form of floods. The compensation by the government is inadequate as losses incurred by each farmer, amounts to several lakh, according to growers.

An official said according to NDRF guidelines, a farmer who has undergone crop loss or loss of agricultural land due to natural calamity, can only be compensated up to two-and-a-half hectares, no matter how huge the losses are.

“As per this guidelines, every farmer has been provided with a maximum Rs 36,000 compensation. If the agricultural lands are filled with silt, the compensation would be a maximum Rs 6,500. We have no say in the fixation of the compensation amount. Our work is only to upload the applications to the software. The compensation amount has been credited to the bank account of the eligible farmers,” he said.

About 2,631 acres of the coffee plantation was destroyed in the landslides last year and there was a crop loss in 41,000 hectares. In the first phase, 34,955 farmers have been compensated with Rs 47.96 crore. Compensation up to Rs five crore has been deposited to the bank accounts of the eligible farmers a month ago. The Chief Minister’s Relief Fund is utilised for the construction of houses meant for the flood-affected people.

The district administration has estimated a loss of Rs 579 crore in Kodagu owing to the recent floods. Coffee, pepper, cardamom, plantain and ginger crops cultivated in 1.18 lakh hectare have been lost this year.