Karnataka to ask Centre to revise compensation under NDRF

District in-charge Minister K S Eshwarappa promised that state government would submit a proposal to the Centre seeking amendment to National Disaster Response Fund so that those who are affected by natural calamities would get just compensation.

He was speaking at a meeting convened to review the damage caused by rains and measures to be taken to tackle third wave of Covid-19, here on Monday. He said the loss due to rain has been estimated at Rs 4.19 crore in the district and four persons have died in rain related incidents. District administration has provided compensation of Rs 5 lakh to bereaved families. As many as 27 livestock died, 126 houses were damaged completely, 478 houses were damaged severely, 532 houses were damaged partially and 76 cattle sheds were damaged. Agriculture crops on 1,174 hectares of land were damaged.

As per guidelines of National Disaster Response Fund, Rs 1.43 crore has to be given to the victims in the form of compensation which is inadequate. So, the state government would submit a proposal to the Centre to amend it so that victims would get remunerative compensation.

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He directed the authorities concerned to take steps to ensure that those who lost their houses or whose houses are partially damaged must be accommodated in gruel centres till they get alternate accommodation. A proposal would be submitted to the government to ensure that they get monthly rent. There are some hurdles related to title deeds to issue compensation to those lost their houses. He would convene a meeting of all elected representatives of the district to discuss the issue.

He said agriculture crops on 7,541 hectares of land was lost in the district. Of it, paddy was grown on 4,086 hectares of land, maize on 773 hectares of land, and ginger on 911 hectares of land. Besides, 199 km main roads, 441 km district roads, 148 km city roads, 210 bridges and 211 transformers, 2,033 electric poles were damaged. Around 328 tanks were damaged and minor repair works can be taken up under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. He directed the officials concerned to conduct the survey of tanks which were damaged.

MLAs H Halappa, K B Ashok Naik, MLCs Ayanur Manjunath, R Prasanna Kumar S Rudre Gouda, City Corporation Mayor Sunita Annappa, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer M L Vyshali, Superintendent of Police B M Laxmi Prasad, Additional Deputy Commissioner Nagendra Honnalli and district-level officials of various departments were present in the meeting.