Mysuru:  The newly appointed Relief Commissioner Gangaram Baderiya, who is also the Principal Secretary, Revenue Department, has released a report on rescue-relief operations and rehabilitation process in flood-affected Kodagu. The relief work is going on at full pace following considerable reduction in rainfall. The joint rescue teams are screening each and every house in landslide-affected areas.

According to the report, 1,019 rescuers from various agencies are stationed in Kodagu screening the villages besides NGOs and local community also involved in the rescue operation. As on Aug.23 (6 pm), 4,450 people have been rescued and brought to safety.

Army: The rescue teams deployed in Kodagu up to Aug.23 includes two columns from the Indian Army — one column Dogra Regiment (50) and another column Army Engineering Task Force (75) — who were assisting the District Administration in restoration of critical roads. They have assisted in building temporary bridges in Kalur and Mukkodlu villages.

Navy: 12 surface rescuers from Indian Navy were stationed with rafts.

NDRF: The National Disaster Relief Force  (NDRF) has two teams of 62 stationed in Kodagu and one team of 31 in Dakshina Kannada.

Air Force: The Air Force deployed two ‘An 32 Aircrafts’ for transporting relief materials and one ‘M17 chopper’ was stationed in Mysuru as standby for rescue operation.

NCC: The NCC deployed 200 people for relief work.

Other teams: The other teams include 720 personnel from the Fire Force, State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), Home Guards and Civil Defence deployed with boats and rescue equipment deployed in Kodagu  and a total of 300 personnel deployed in Dakshina Kannada.

Human, animal loss, house damages: According to preliminary figures drawn from Aug.14 to 23, 16 deaths have been confirmed in Kodagu while in Dakshina Kannada five died out of whom two have died due to landslide, two due to drowning and one due to electrocution. The total lives of animals lost are nine in Kodagu and no animal loss has been reported in Dakshina Kannada. As far as damages to houses are concerned, 1,120 have been damaged in Kodagu and 361 in Dakshina Kannada.

Rs.30 crore for restoration and rehabilitation: The State Government has already released Rs.30 crore for taking steps for restoration and rehabilitation of flood victims. As a first step, a three-member team from NGRI (National Geophysical Research Institute), headed by Ragavan, visited Kodagu and set up a Seismic Monitoring Centre in a Navodaya School to closely monitor seismic activity in and around Kodagu. Three member team comprising Dr. Srinivas Reddy, Director, KSNDMC and Dr. H.M.S. Prakash (former DDG GSI) are conducting geo-technical analysis in landslide affected region of Mangaluru.

Two IAS officers are posted to oversee the rehabilitation work. Each family is being given Rs.3,800 relief amount for sustenance apart from 10 kg rice, one litre oil, one kg sugar, one kg salt and one kg dal.

Engineers and personnel from Madras Engineering Group (MEG) is being deputed to Kodagu for road construction and debris clearance.

The CHESCOM MD is also camping in Madikeri to ensure electricity is restored in villages besides, kerosene and gas is being distributed in Gram Panchayats.

House construction: Directions have been given to immediately construct 2,000 units using aluminium structures to   house around 10,000 homeless people displaced due to landslides.

Kodagu DC to identify land: The Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu has been instructed to identify land for long term rehabilitation of displaced people on priority basis. The Housing and Revenue Department has been instructed to construct houses within specific time frame. Government will provide all necessary assistance in the construction of houses.

Epidemic outbreak: Instructions have been given to the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Department who is camping in Madikeri to take all precautions to prevent outbreak of water or vector borne diseases in relief camps. Each Gram Panchayat is given Rs.50,000 and Municipal Corporation Rs.15 lakh to sanitise surface water bodies. Pre-fabricated toilets are installed in relief camps.

Education: Education Department is providing notebooks and text books who have lost books due to flood and landslides. Extra classes are conducted to the students to make up for loss of 20 lost days.

Employment: Employment opportunity is being created under MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) to provide work to displaced people by involving them in debris clearance.

Duplicate certificates: The Government will set up Common Service Centres (Atal Janasnehi Kendra Centre and Customer Service Centre) which will act as Single Window System to issue duplicate certificates, IDs and documents which have been lost due to floods.

The Common Service Centres will comprise officers from Revenue, Civil Supplies, Banks, Transport, School and College education and other Departments as deemed appropriate by Deputy Commissioner to issue documents/ duplicate documents pertaining to their Departments. Documents will be issued free of cost or at a nominal cost as deemed appropriate and there is no need to file FIR.

Aadhaar cards: UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) has directed Aadhaar enrolment agencies in Karnataka, including Banks and Post Offices, to facilitate retrieval    of 12-digit number and provide free printouts to Aadhaar-holders who have lost their documents in the flood/landslides. It has also directed the enrolment agencies to help in the retrieval of Aadhaar numbers by visiting relief camps.

Armed Forces return

The Central Government has recalled the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force personnel deployed for rescue work. They have returned from Kodagu to their respective destinations yesterday.

The Centre had asked the State Government not to use the Forces for body rescue operations.

Only two teams of NDRF, Garuda Command and KSRP personnel are still deployed to screen the villages for landslides and rescue operation. They are also involved along with drone camera team to search for bodies still trapped in the landslides.

Engineering  team

A 12-member Engineering team consisting of road and land-slip experts visited Kodagu along with JD(S) State President A.H. Vishwanath yesterday and held a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu. They will camp in the district and submit a report regarding damages to the roads and funds for development.