Dharmasthala to contribute Rs 25 cr to CM's relief fund

Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala will contribute Rs 25 crore to the Chief Minister's relief fund for the flood victims in Karnataka, Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari (hereditary administrator) Veerendra Heggade has said.

Announcing this at a press conference at Dharmasthala on Saturday, Heggade said Rs 50 lakh will be provided for Belthangady taluk, which was the worst-hit area in Dakshina Kannada district.

Heggade said he will hand over the cheque of Rs 25 crore to the Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Monday and the cheque for Rs 50 lakh will be handed over to Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja.

He said the Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project has already distributed 19,000 bedsheets, two tonnes of bleaching powder to clean houses and home appliances to 4,900 families. As per a survey by the government, 20,827 houses have been damaged and farmlands of over 28 thousand families have been destroyed in the floods.

Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala will stand by the victims during these times of distress. SDM Education Trust will also help students who have been affected by the floods by providing uniforms, textbooks, school bags and dresses, he said.

He said the organisation has deployed over two lakh trained people in flood relief camps to help the authorities in the event of any further disaster. Heggade also urged the BJP government at the Centre to provide aid to the state for flood relief and rehabilitation work.