DK gets Rs 3.60 cr for rain-damaged houses

Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat members have demanded the special package declared by the government for flood victims, whose houses were fully and partially damaged during the August floods, to be extended to all the victims who had lost their houses since the onset of monsoon this year.

A resolution in this regard was passed at the ZP general body meeting held at Netravathi Hall on Tuesday.

Under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) norms a maximum amount of Rs 95,000 is released as compensation for houses (A and B categories). But government had announced Rs five lakh each to both ‘A’ and ‘B’ category houses damaged in the rains in August. To ensure that all victims received equal compensation, members decided to adopt a resolution and submit it to the government.

A total of Rs 3.60 crore was released to Dakshina Kannada district for the construction and repair of houses damaged in the rain that had lashed the district in the month of August. The funds were released jointly under NDRF and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), Project Director Madhu Kumar added.

Out of total houses damaged, the deputy commissioner has given approval for the release of compensation to 621 houses.

The GPS of the damaged houses was completed for 571 houses.

The work on the construction of new houses had been initiated and foundation was laid for 23 houses. The work on three houses had reached lintel level and repair of 24 houses was completed, the officer added.

When ZP members raised the issue of irregularities in the auctioning of wood felled from the plantations on 12 hectares of land in Naringana Gram Panchayat, the CEO promised to set up a three-member committee and submit the report in next meeting.

Congress ZP member Mamatha Gatti said that Social Forestry department had raised Rs 11,33,542 by auctioning the woods of acacia and mangium trees from its plantations at Naringana GP limits.

A private wood contractor had claimed that the auctioned woods from the plantation would have fetched Rs 40 lakh.

Gram panchayat had received only Rs 54,885 after deduction of maintenance cost of Rs 9,10,418.

The panchayat had spent Rs 70,000 for paying salaries to the security guard deployed to guard the plantation.