The flood-ravaged Karnataka is still waiting for central assistance almost a month after floods disrupted lives of people in 103 taluks across 22 (out of 30) districts and claimed 104 human lives and 3,400 livestock.
Even as the Centre is going by the specifics, insisting on revised estimates of losses, stating the loss to private infrastructure will not be compensated for, the state government is now in a fix as the delay in relief and rehabilitation work has put the ruling BJP's image at stake.
The state has suffered a loss of Rs 35,000 crore as per initial estimates in the deluge and it's aftermath. As many as 11,063 government buildings have been damaged. More than 21,818 km of roads have been damaged. The crop loss across 9.70 lakh hectare has been estimated to be Rs 15,230 crore. As many as 4.6 lakh people have taken shelter in relief camps as their houses have been damaged.
The Congress party has announced a massive protest against the BJP governments both in the state and the Centre, in Belagavi on September 24. CLP leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah alleged the BJP government had failed to take up flood relief work.
"People are deprived of temporary sheds too. Schools have collapsed but there has been no alternative to resume the schools, people have no drinking water and cattle have no fodder. There is no word on rehabilitation of the flood affected families. People elected 25 BJP MPs, but all of them have fallen silent on relief package. The chief minister should lead an all party delegation to Delhi to demand for relief package, " said Siddaramaiah.
Even as the Congress Party leaders launched a protest in Bengaluru on Wednesday, against the delay in flood relief work, the state cabinet announced Rs 1,000 crore to build homes for the displaced families, and another Rs 500 crore has been released to expedite road repair works.
Revenue minister R Ashok says the state is working on the revised estimates and also verifying damages to weed out false claims. "we have disbursed Rs 10,000 to each of the flood affected families. We have already spent Rs 236 crore to run 1,465 relief centres. "
The government will provide Rs five lakh each to rebuild the homes and Rs 25,000 each to repair the partially damaged homes.
"An estimated 40,000 houses were estimated to be damaged. However, the number will reduce after the spot inspections," said Law minister J. C. Madhuswamy.
