73 people die due to flood, rain-related incidents in Karnataka
Bengaluru(PTI): As many as 73 people lost their lives while 7,386 people have taken shelter in 75 relief camps in Karnataka due to floods and rain-related incidents during the ongoing monsoon, state Revenue Minister R Ashoka said on Monday.
The minister said 161 villages in 14 districts were badly hit by the heavy rains and floods affected 21,727 people in recent days.
"As many as 73 people lost their lives, which comprises 15 deaths due to lightning, five due to tree collapse, 19 due to house collapse, 24 swept away in rivers, nine due to landslide and one due to electrocution. These incidents happened from June 1 to August 7," the minister said at a press conference.
As many as 8,197 people were shifted to safety, Ashoka said, adding, 75 relief camps have been opened where 7,386 people have taken shelter.
The minister said 666 houses have been completely damaged while 2,949 were severely damaged and 17,750 houses were partially damaged. Agriculture crops in 1,29,087 hectares and horticulture crops in 7,942 hectares were damaged, the minister said.
He also said the rains this year damaged 11,768 km of road, 1,152 bridges and culverts, 122 primary health centres, 2,249 anganwadi centres and 95 irrigation lakes.
"We have directed the deputy commissioners to intensify the relief work. The districts have a fund of Rs 857 crore (to take up relief works)," Ashoka said.
The minister said Rs 5 lakh is given as compensation to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in flood-related incidents, which includes Rs 4 lakh from the National Disaster Response Fund.
Those who lost their houses completely will get Rs 5 lakh whereas for severely and partially damaged houses, the government gives Rs 3 lakh and Rs 50,000, respectively, as compensation.
He also said the state government has improved the relief camps by giving food kits, which comprise 10 kg rice, one kg pulse, one kg sugar, one kg salt, chilli powder, one litre oil, and other essential spices.
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Chamoli hydropower tunnel train collision: 88 injured, magisterial probe ordered
Gopeshwar/Dehradun (PTI): Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar on Wednesday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the collision between two loco trains inside the Pipalkoti tunnel of the under-construction Vishnugad-Pipalkoti hydropower project, which left 88 people injured.
Earlier in the day, Kumar said that the accident occurred around 8.30 pm on Tuesday at the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) site inside the tunnel being built by THDC (India).
A loco train carrying workers for tunnel excavation during the night shift was about two kilometres inside the tunnel when another loco train coming from the opposite direction lost control and collided with it.
One of the trains had workers and officials on board, while the other carried material.
Upon receiving information about the collision, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered proper treatment for the injured. He spoke to the DM over the phone and instructed him to ensure that all the injured receive the best possible medical facilities.
DM Kumar and Superintendent of Police Surjit Singh Panwar met the injured at the Gopeshwar District Hospital.
Kumar said 109 people were on board the loco train at the time of the accident, most of them labourers. None of the injured was serious, he said.
He said that 88 of them were injured, although none of them are in serious condition. They said that 84 workers were discharged after receiving first aid, while four are still hospitalized.
DM Kumar and SP Panwar also inspected the project site and sought detailed information about the incident from the project officials.
They instructed them to strictly implement all necessary safety standards to prevent a recurrence of such an incident in the future.
After inspection, the DM issued orders for a magisterial inquiry into the accident caused by the collision of the loco trains.
Meanwhile, the Railways said the trains involved in the collision had no connection with it.
"It is clarified that this unfortunate incident occurred in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, involving a trolley used in the local transportation system during the construction of a hydroelectric project tunnel. The train referred to in the news reports is not an Indian Railways train, but a transportation system being used locally by the project team," the government entity said in a statement.
According to officials, rail-like vehicles are used to transport workers, employees, and materials for construction work inside the tunnel.
The project, being built between Helang and Pipalkoti on the Alaknanda River, will generate 444 megawatts of electricity through four turbines. The project is targeted for completion by next year.
