Karnataka CM conducts aerial survey of flood hit districts
Ballari(KTK): Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in two districts in the state and said additional funds would be released after holding discussions with the officials.
"Already funds have been allotted to the flood-affected districts and more will be released after holding a meeting with the officials," the Chief Minister said.
He was talking to reporters before boarding a special plane from Jindal Vijayanagar Airport here to conduct an aerial survey of Kalaburagi and Vijayapura districts, to assess the damage caused by the heavy rains last week.
Yediyurappa was accompanied by Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhan, and the Commissioner of Karnataka Disaster Management Authority Manoj Rajan during the aerial survey.
River Bhima, a tributary of river Krishna that originates in Maharashtra, had wreaked havoc in Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, and Raichur districts due to the torrential rain in the catchment areas for the past 10 days.
Yediyurappa said heavy rains and floods have caused inundation in several villages in Kalaburagi and Vijayapura districts, damaging crops and houses.
To a query, the CM said a central team would carry out an inspection after the state government submits the complete report, which may take at least four to five days.
He, however, maintained that the Prime Minister was aware of the prevailing situation and has assured of assistance.
This is the third time floods have hit the northern parts of Karnataka in the last three months.
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Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak booked in Punjab
Chandigarh (PTI): Punjab Police is learnt to have booked Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, who recently defected to the BJP, sources said on Saturday.
Two FIRs have been lodged against Pathak under non-bailable sections, they said.
No further details about the FIRs have been disclosed yet.
Pathak was among the seven Rajya Sabha MPs who had quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and joined the BJP.
On April 24, the AAP suffered a jolt when seven of its 10 Rajya Sabha MPs -- Pathak, Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney and Swati Maliwal -- quit, alleging that Arvind Kejriwal's party had strayed from its principles, values and core morals.
Six of the seven MPs were from Punjab.
Later, Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan officially accepted their merger with the BJP, reducing AAP's strength in the Upper House to three.
