Karnataka: Labour minister visits flood-affected areas to assess damage

Hubballi: Labour Minister and in-charge minister of Dharwad, Santosh Lad, accompanied by MLA MR Patil, visited the rain-affected areas in Kundgol Taluk in Karnataka on Friday.

During the visit, Lad actively engaged with villagers and officials to gather first-hand information about the challenges faced in the wake of heavy rains.

"I am visiting various areas in the district and collecting information regarding the extent of rain damage. The month of July has seen higher-than-usual rainfall, resulting in the deterioration of roads and bridges. The incessant rainwater has led to waterlogging in fields," Lad told reporters.

He acknowledged that houses have collapsed in some places due to the heavy rains and some areas have witnessed worsened road conditions. He directed the officials to promptly visit affected sites and take appropriate actions.

In response to the impact on houses, Lad informed that a categorization system (A, B, and C) will be implemented for fallen houses, and appropriate compensation funds will be disbursed accordingly.

He also assured that necessary measures have already been taken by concerned authorities to address the breach in the Allapur Lake, which he plans to personally inspect on Saturday.

During his visit, Santosh Lad visited the damaged house of Hanumanthappa Mattigatti in Sherewad village and the flood-affected farm of Pakirappa near Betadur. He provided necessary instructions to the agriculture department officials to address the situation.

During the visit, the Minister also paid his respects to the statue of martyred soldier Hanumanthappa Koppada of Betadur.

During his tour, Lad interacted with school children along the way. The students voiced their need for more buses to facilitate their commute to school. In response, the Minister assured them of positive action and stated that arrangements will be made for additional buses.