Madikeri: Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has directed the District Administration to identity land to construct houses for flood-affected victims on a priority basis.

He was chairing a meeting on natural disaster relief operations at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here yesterday and said that the officials should come forward to identify land along with providing them jobs under Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Every victim must get facilities provided by the government that they are entitled to. At no cost should there be complaints that the government is not responding to the problems of the people. The officials should understand their duties and responsibilities and work, he said.

It is the duty of the government to protect the people who have been affected. The government is ready to release any amount of money but the officials should respond to the woes of the people, he said making it clear that he will not tolerate any lacuna on the part of the officials.

Madikeri-Mangaluru road damaged

The Madikeri-Mangaluru Road has collapsed and likewise the Madikeri-Somwarpet Road has also collapsed. The CM has asked the District Administration to immediately restore the road connection by commencing the repair work.

The Government is ready to offer all assistance to the damages caused in Kodagu. However, there are complaints that there are no toilet facilities in the Relief Centres. Efforts are on to get 120 mobile toilets from Bengaluru and also 300 staff from Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike are also being deployed. Hence, the first priority is for cleanliness, said Kumaraswamy.

There is a lot of water-logging in many areas in Kushalnagar and it has to be cleared. Care should also be taken to see that diseases do not spread. Quality food should be provided at Relief Centres, he said.

If the officials do not work properly they will be suspended, he warned. More officers from other districts are being deployed for relief works and more staff are being deployed for the Coffee Board to survey crop loss, he said.

A lot of Relief Centres have been opened but a few people are reluctant to go to them. Also,  a lot of voluntary organisations have come forward to provide food and other facilities to the victims, said Kumaraswamy.

Deputy Commissioner P.I. Sreevidya said that nearly 50,000 people in the district are directly affected by heavy rain, out which  nearly 4,000 in different parts of the district have lost touch with the outside world. Heavy rain has damaged houses or washed them away and seven people have died, she informed. Nearly 3,120 people have been rescued in the district so far and 41 Relief Centres have been opened where all the facilities including food, drinking water, medical facilities, beds and blankets have been provided, said the DC.

District Minister S.R. Mahesh, Minor Industries Minister Srinivas, District Secretary G. Kalpana, Chamarajanagar DC B.B. Cauvery, Zilla Panchayat CEO Prashanth Kumar Mishra, Police officials M.N. Reddy, Sunil Agarwal and others were present.