Mysuru: Except for 86 people in two relief centres, all the people, who lost their homes in Kodagu's floods and landslides last August, have moved into rented houses and are receiving Rs 10,000 each towards the rent from the state government until it builds new houses for them.
As many as 7594 victims of the natural disaster were rescued and lodged in 51 relief centres in Kodagu last year. Most returned home later, except for 840, who had lost their houses to the sliding hills and floods. The government has since started building new houses for them.
The Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Limited and the Karnataka Habitat Centre have joined hands to build two bedroom houses at a cost of Rs 9.85 lakh each on 30ft x 40 ft sites. The state government has already released Rs 82.74 crore for construction of the houses and Rs 31.63 crore for the formation of layouts with road, electricity, water and other amenities.
Kodagu Deputy Commissoiner, P I Srividya, reveals the house rent has deposited in the bank accounts of beneficiaries for the first month and the practice will continue for 10 months or until the houses are constructed, whichever is earliest. The 86 who are still housed at the relief centres, have not yet found houses on rent and have asked for more time to find them.
While the Union government has released NDRF funds of Rs 546.21 crores for disaster relief in eight districts, including Kodagu, over Rs 202 crores has been contributed by various associations and members of the public to the CM's relief fund for rehabilitation of the Kodagu victims.
