SKDRDP to donate Rs 25 cr CM's relief fund

Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade on Saturday announced donating Rs 25 crore through Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP) to the chief minister’s relief fund.

The amount is being handed to implement relief works for the flood victims across Karnataka, he added.

The amount will be handed over to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa soon.

Heggade told reporters
that a survey by SKDRDP members had revealed that 20,827 houses were completely damaged and 28,288 families had lost their farm land in Karnataka.

“In addition, 22,711 families had lost all their household articles. It is one of the worst flood witnessed in state. In Belthangady taluk, 174 houses were completely damaged,” he added.

Fodder procured

He handed over a cheque of Rs 50 lakh to ‘Kalaji Belthangady Flood Relief Fund’ to MLA Harish Poonja to take up relief works in the flood-affected villages. School and college students from Belthangady, who were affected by floods, will receive two pairs of uniforms, textbooks, notebooks, school bags, clothes, and free hostel facilities at SDM educational institutions.

Heggade said that, in the backdrop of shortage of fodder for cattle in Belthangady taluk, two loads of paddy straw were procured from Theerthahalli taluk. Three loads of straw will be procured from Holenarasipura on Monday. The affected families will be provided all help. The SHG members, office-bearers of SHG federation are engaged in implementing relief works in Belthangady.

“Through SKDRDP, 19,000 bedsheets had been supplied to the flood victims in Karnataka. In addition, two tonnes of bleaching powder had been distributed. Essential commodities worth Rs 1,000 have been distributed to 4990 affected families,” he said.

“A team not exceeding 100 members will be formed in each taluk to take up emergency rescue operations, in the backdrop of recurring landslides, flood and other natural calamities in Karnataka. A calamity management forum with a membership of over two lakh will be formed at state-level. These teams will be trained by NDRF personnel on how to function during natural calamities. A final decision on it will be taken after consulting NDRF and like-minded individuals. The necessary funds will be provided from Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala,” he said.

Heggade announced setting up a Western Ghats Study Chair at a national-level research institute to carry out study on Western Ghats. A sum of Rs 2 crore will be provided to set up the Chair. Landslides had occurred at over 500 places in Western Ghats, which is a cause of concern. To maintain balance in Nature and to protect livelihoods, research needs to be carried out, he added.