HDK halts land business in Western Ghat region

Karnataka Floods

Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday ordered a moratorium on land transactions in the Western Ghat region as part of the government’s effort to mitigate the flood disasters in the coastal and Malnad districts, especially Kodagu.

The CM, who held a high-level meeting on the flood situation, directed authorities to look into the man-made reasons behind the rainfall-related disaster.

“Land conversion activity in the Western Ghat region will be put on hold,” Kumaraswamy told reporters.

A committee headed by Chief Secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar will be formed to oversee the rescue and relief effort and ensure there are no financial hurdles, he added.

As many as 948 rescue personnel from the armed forces, NDRF, civil defence among others are operating on the ground.

“So far, 3,500 people have been rescued to safety. This includes 347 people who were stranded following a landslide on a hill on the Dakshina Kannada-Kodagu border,” he said.

There are 31 relief camps currently where 2,250 people are being attended to.

After the meeting, Kumaraswamy aerially surveyed the flood-hit regions.