Declare K'taka flood a national calamity: Siddaramaiah

Former chief minister and Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah has urged the Union government to declare Karnataka’s flood as a national calamity.

Siddaramaiah spoke to reporters after visiting the flood-hit Karadigodu village near Siddapura and the relief centre in Nelyahudikeri on Friday.

He accused the Union government of neglecting the flood situation in the state.

Siddaramaiah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not paid a visit to the state so far to take stock of the flood situation.

He demanded Rs 5,000 crore from the Centre to the state government, as interim relief.

“Thousands of people have lost their houses due to the ravaging flood in the state. Hundreds of houses have been destroyed in Kodagu district as well. The state government should provide permanent rehabilitation to the affected families,” he said.

Siddaramaiah said the prime minister is visiting the state on September 7.

“He is not coming to listen to the woes of the flood-affected people but to take part in a programme. The Central Government has neglected the state completely. Not even a single paisa has been released by the Centre to the state,” he said.

He also alleged that the state government, too, has failed to provide comfort to the flood victims. “The contribution of 25 BJP MPs, elected from the state to the Parliament, has been nill so far”, Siddaramaiah said.

Earlier, he listened to the woes of flood victims at Karadigodu.

Krishna, a flood victim, said that people living by the river have been losing their houses as the river swells during rainy season every year. The Gram Panchayat should allocate government land to these affected to take up permanent rehabilitation, he said.

Baiju, another victim, said that he, along with other families residing in the river proximity, have been paying revenue to the Gram Panchayat. “We have not been provided with permanent sites, though we have submitted applications,” he said.

Baiju expressed dissatisfaction about Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa but did not turn up to Karadigodu to listen to their grievances. He said the chief minister had assured them that he would their village. “The chief minister has visited the relief centre at Nelyahudikeri for just for namesake,” he said.

MLC Veena Acchaiah, former MLA Arun Machaiah and District Congress Committee President Manjunath Kumar were present.