More flood-hit villages will be shifted, says CM

State is getting good support from donors

Interestingly, since the water-level in the flood-hit areas receded, the number of villages to be shifted has been going up. Yeddyurappa during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to the State had stated that 220 flood-prone villages would be shifted.

Later in the memorandum to the Centre, the State maintained the same number. But in the recent days, the CM has been increasing the number. During his recent visits to flood-hit areas, he said the number of villages to be shifted was 250.  Asked why swift changes in the number, the CM had no convincing answer. He said that as the days passed off, the administration found out that more villages were required to be shifted.

“It is high time we shift those villages. We are getting good support from the donors. Let us make use of it for a good purpose”, he said. Answering a question, the CM also ruled out political pressure to increase the number of villages.

The CM held a meeting with deputy commissioners and zilla panchayat chief executive officers of 14 flood-affected areas to review the flood relief measures.  He has set the deadline of December 12 to hold the bhoomi pooja for construction of houses for flood victims in all districts. Acquisition of land should be finalised by December 10, Yeddyurappa directed the officers.

Yeddyurappa said the Government had so far released Rs 1,725 crore for relief works and of that, Rs 1,213 had been spent. The deputy commissioners still possess over Rs 282 crore for the works. The Government had to evict 346 flood-prone villages. Land had been identified for 224 villages and formation of layout was on for 170 villages.

The CM has told the officers to acquire the necessary land by convincing the farmers who refused to part with their land. If necessary, the officers can follow strict legal measures to achieve the same, he said.

Yeddyurappa said in some villages many people who were economically sound had also lost their houses in the flood. They complained the officers that the sites being offered to them by the Government were insufficient. The Government would offer them bigger dimension sites, provided the victims were ready to purchase them at market price.

The CM said the total loss incurred by the State due to floods was Rs 18,500 crore. As per the norms of the Centre the State should be getting at least Rs 6,000 crore as calamity relief fund. So far the Centre had released only Rs 500 crore. The Centre should release the rest at the earliest, he demanded.