Crops in 25,000 acres of land in Kodagu destroyed: Agriculture Minister
Mysuru: The situation in rain and landslide-hit Kodagu has considerably improved with 719 more people returning home and two more relief centres closed on Tuesday. Presently there are 2,469 people in 25 relief camps. Earlier, a total 7,594 people were housed in 51 relief centres.
According to Gangaram Baderia Principal Secretary and Relief Commissioner, Revenue department, 30 CRPF personnel have reached Kodagu to assist the district administration in search operations.
Also a team of NDRF with 30 personnel, 300 personnel of fire and emergency services, SDRF, home guards and civil defence are still stationed in Kodagu.
Three engineers from the Border Road Organisation have reached Kodagu and are interacting with the Kodagu Deputy Commissioner and engineers on the restoration of infrastructure and roads.
Mr Baderia also said Rs.30 crores has been released under SDRF to take care of relief work, and Rs 200 crores has been released to the flood affected districts including Kodagu as per the government order dated August 28. While Kodagu has received Rs 85 crores, Dakshina Kannada district got Rs 20.88 crores.
Agriculture Minister Mr N,H, Shivashankar Reddy also visited Kodagu, and said an estimated 25,000 acres of agriculture and horticulture crops have been damaged, including 10,000 acres of paddy and 4,000 acres of corn (musukina jola). He said, “As many as 70 officers are assessing the loss in Kodagu. They will submit a report in 15 days and the relief amount will be released in one month. I will also discuss the rehabilitation of agricultural land with CM H D Kumaraswamy.”
Meanwhile Lokayuktha Justice Mr Vishwanth Shetty visited Kodagu and told officers of the education department to ensure that the education of kids at relief centres is not affected.
CM H.D. Kumaraswamy said in Mysuru said that he would meet Union home minister Rajnath Singh on August 30 and submit an interim memorandum seeking Rs 3,000 crores for relief work in Kodagu. He disclosed that he was able to raise Rs 1.5 crore during his visit to Mysuru on Tuesday for the CM’s relief fund for Kodagu, including Rs 50 lakh donated by JSS Matha.
