845 houses, 123 km road damaged in Kodagu: CM Kumaraswamy
Disaster claims 12 lives
Bengaluru, August 20: Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy said that the natural disaster has literally devastated the Kodagu district where 12 persons were died and 845 houses were completely damaged in the floods and landslides.
Speaking to reporters at his Home Office Krishna here on Monday, the Chief Minister said that he conducted aerial survey for two days in Kodagu where landslidings were occurred in many places. Total 773 houses were partially damaged. Around 123 km roads, 58 bridges, 278 government buildings and 3,800 electric poles were damaged in the incident. The normal life was affected severely. So far, 4,320 people were rescued. As the rain was subsidized since Sunday evening, relief works and rescue operations were intensified, he said.
Total 1,725 specially trained experts from district administration, police department, State Reserve Police Force, Army, Air Force, Navy, NDRF, Revenue Department, NCC, Citizens Protection Group, Home Guards and others have been working on war footing for round-the-clock. M-17 helicopter of Indian Air Force has been working from Harangi reservoir. Every day, the Chief Secretary of the Government and other senior officers of the departments have been overseeing the situation and providing the updates, he said.
The President, Prime Minister and Defence Minister have spoken to him over telephone and got the details about the situation. They have provided required help and promised further assistance. Today afternoon, the Chief Secretary held a video conference with the deputy commissioners of Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts and directed them to take all possible measures. The normal life in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts was limping to normalcy. Though the rain was subsidized in Kodagu, the normal life was gone out of control. Taking relief measures to rebuild the entire district was a real challenge to the state government now, the CM said.
District Minister, district secretary, DGP Fire Brigade, two ADGPs, and two additional chief secretaries have camped in the district and overseeing the relief works. Some of the district level officers of neighbouring Mysuru and Dakshina Kannada districts have been working in Kodagu. Probationary IAS officers working in Dakshina Kannada and Uttara Kannada districts were deputed to Kodagu, he said.
Total 41 relief centres were opened in Kodagu and nine centres in Dakshina Kannada district. Total 6,620 distressed people were given shelter in those centres where milk and drinking water was made available. The relief materials being supplied from other places were collected in the APMC yard and distributing through gram panchayats, he said.
The government has deputed five special medical teams and 10 revenue officers teams for the relief works. Total 60 JCB machines and 20 Bolero vehicles were pressed into action. Within next ten days, temporary aluminum sheds would be put up for the people, for which the place is being finalized, he said.
Three extensions in Kushalnagar were submerged and a technical team from BBMP has been to Kodagu to pump the water out of the extension. In order to contain the possible outbreak of contagious diseases after the flood situation, the government has already constituted medical and non-medical teams and special units of the Health department and those teams would work in the district.
Under the MNREGS, the local labourers at Madikeri, Kushalnagar, Suntikoppa, Somwarpet and other towns would be provided jobs of removing the debris and waste generated from the flood. As the books and uniforms supplied to schools and colleges in the district were damaged, fresh sets of textbooks and uniforms would be provided to the students, he said.
He has also directed the authorities to give Rs 3,800 to each family of 5,800 distressed people sheltered in relief camps. He also directed the Food and Civil Supplies department and the district administration to start 10 mobile units to provide 10 kg of rice, one kg of sugar, one kg of tur dal, five litre kerosene and five litre of palm oil to the door-steps of 50,000 families in the district, he added.
The PWD authorities have been trying to remove the mud covered on the Bhagamandala-Napoklu-Ayyangeri, and Sullia-Madikeri linking roads. KPTCL and CHESCOM have constituted special teams to restore the power connectivity in rural and urban areas as early as possible. For school children, it was directed to take special classes to cover the portions. The transfer of officials was suspended in the district and vacant posts would be filled immediately, he said.
IAS officers would be entrusted the responsibility of preparing the list of loss in each taluk and oversee the construction of houses, he said.
For donations
The donors who want to donate for the flood victims, could contribute to the ‘Chief Minister’s Relief Fund’ account. Account Name: Chief Minister’s Relief Fund Natural Disaster-2018, Bank: State Bank of India, Branch: Vidhana Soudha, A/c: 37887098605, IFSC Code: SBIN0040277, MICR No: 560002419. The donations would have Income Tax relaxation under Income Tax Act 80-G.
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Haryana govt identifies 370 'corrupt' patwaris, their 170 aides; orders action against them
Chandigarh (PTI): The Haryana government has prepared a list of 370 'patwaris' (revenue officials) and 170 private individuals working as their assistants who are allegedly involved in corrupt practices.
The office of the financial commissioner, revenue (FCR) has written to deputy commissioners to initiate stringent action against the corrupt officials.
'Patwaris' maintain land records, certify land possession, mutation and other works.
According to the FCR's communication dated January 14, these 370 'patwaris' across the state have been accused of demanding bribes from people to get their work done.
Kaithal tops the list prepared by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department with 46 "corrupt" 'patwaris', followed by 41 in Sonipat, 36 in Mahendragarh, 27 in Gurugram, 25 in Fatehabad, 23 in Kurukshetra and 20 in Jhajjar.
The list identifies 19 such 'patwaris' in Faridabad, 17 in Palwal, 16 in Rewari, 14 in Yamunanagar, 13 each in Sirsa and Hisar, 12 in Jind, 10 in Bhiwani, nine in Panipat, seven in Karnal, six each in Charkhi Dadri and Nuh, and five each in Ambala and Rohtak.
Panchkula is the only district which does not figure on the list.
The FCR's communication asked deputy commissioners to take action against the "corrupt" 'patwaris' and submit an action taken report within 15 days.
The communication stated that people, who go to 'patwaris' for their land-related work are harassed as these 'patwaris' repeatedly raise objections, forcing people to pay them to get their work done.
It said corrupt practices of such 'patwaris' adversely affect the image of the government.
The report prepared by the department mentions the modus operandi of the 'patwaris', their castes and period of posting.
According to the report, a 'patwari' posted in Ambala for the past 18 months has been harassing the public by demanding bribes for things like mutation, land measurement and rectification of land records. He has deputed a private individual for accepting the money on his behalf, it said.
In Bhiwani, a 'patwari' takes Rs 3,000-4,000 for mutation and a 'patwari' in Charkhi Dadri demands Rs 1,000-2,000 for land mutation, the report stated.
