Rs. 56 crore in DC account; additional Rs. 20 crore will be released: Krishna Byregowda

Madikeri: Kodagu District Minister N.S. Boseraju and Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda conducted a visit to various rain-affected areas in Kodagu district on Wednesday.

Accompanying them were Chief Minister’s Legal Advisor and Virajpet MLA A.S. Ponnanna, as well as Madikeri MLA Dr. Manthar Gowda, along with Deputy Commissioner Venkat Raja, Superintendent of Police K. Ramarajan and other officials.

During their visit, the team assessed the situation in Kushalnagar’s Sai and Kuvempu Layouts, where flooding and water-logging have caused significant issues within homes. They also visited the Harangi Reservoir to observe the conditions of the flood-affected people.

Local residents expressed their concerns and urged the Ministers to order the construction of embankments along the Cauvery River to prevent future flooding. Additionally, they requested the removal of silt from the Harangi Dam to increase its water storage capacity. In response, the Ministers consulted with experts and assured the affected families that they would decide on the next course of action.

The team’s visit extended to Cherambane and Bhagamandala regions to inspect other flood-affected areas and assess the water flow conditions in those regions.

Later, Krishna Byregowda announced at a meeting that the DC account has a reserve of Rs. 56 crore, exclusively allocated for natural disaster management in the district. If necessary, an additional allocation of Rs. 20 crore will be released.

The Ministers emphasised the importance of using the allocated funds efficiently. They requested that payments be promptly made for completed work and issued notices to start work where it has not commenced, aiming to expedite the process, as per the officials’ advice.

 Boseraju pointed out that there hasn’t been much rainfall in the district during June, but since July 22, heavy rainfall has been occurring. As a result, he urged all officials at every level to work in coordination.

MLA A.S. Ponnanna expressed concerns about areas like Birunani and Napoklu experiencing power outages due to heavy rain and wind for the past two days. He promptly requested a resolution to the issue. MLA Dr. Manthar Gowda also highlighted the heavy rainfall and wind in Shanthalli hobli, leading to power outages. He directed immediate action to address the situation.

DC Venkata Raju informed that there has been significant damage due to heavy rainfall and wind within a 40 km radius this time. To manage the natural disaster, various teams from the Natural Disaster Management Authority, Police, Forest, Panchayat Raj, Fire Department, and other departments are working in coordination.