Welfare minister promises aid to the flood-hit in Thrissur

Palakkad: The government will provide proper relief to those put up in the relief camps in the district from Monday. Those who have lost their homes would be given nearly Rs 1 lakh as first instalment by August 21. This was announced by welfare minister A.K. Balan after visiting the camps on Saturday.

As the shutters of the Malampuzha dam were raised on Thursday, more than 200 families residing on the banks of Kalpathi river and those at Sundaram colony near the irrigation canal at Olavakkode had lost all their belongings.

The electronic and electrical equipment and LPG cylinders and stoves were also damaged as the dam water gushed into their homes and they ran for safety leaving behind all their valuables.

“I have assured them that the duplicates of the ID cards and other documents will be issued to them by holding camps on August 13 and 14. The tahsildar will oversee the camps. Village officers and executive engineers of civic bodies will assess the damage caused to the houses and by Au-gust 21, the principal agr-iculture officer will submit a report on the losses suffered by the farmers in the floods,” the minister said.

There are a total of 20 relief camps in the district with more than 2,200 persons staying in them.

Collector D. Balamurali said that the losses estimated due to the damage and destruction of houses alone was '4.5 crore.