Army to rebuild battered roads in Karnataka's Kodagu
Bengaluru, Aug 23 : The Indian Army's engineering task force will help the district administration in restoring the severely battered roads in flood-hit Kodagu district, an official said on Thursday.
"About 75 Army engineering task force personnel will be assisting the district officials in restoring the critical roads of Kodagu," the state Relief Commissioner Gangaram Baderiya said in a statement.
The heavy rains leading to flash floods and landslips in the coffee-growing district, about 270km from the state capital, have claimed 16 lives in 10 days from August 14, Baderiya said.
As the intensity of rainfall in the district reduced since Sunday, about 50 Dogra Regiment soldiers, 12 Navy divers, 62 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officials, Air Force officials and other state disaster response agencies are screening all the houses in affected areas.
About 5,000 people are currently sheltered in 51 relief camps across the district.
"The state is working on constructing temporary structures using aluminium to house around 10,000 homeless people displaced due to the landslides," Baderia said.
Kodagu district officials have been asked by the state to identify land for long-term rehabilitation of the homeless.
"Housing and Revenue Departments will construct the houses within a specific timeframe," the IAS officer said.
The district officials are giving Rs 3,800 of interim relief per family as per the Karnataka government's decision to allot Rs 2.2 crore to benefit 5,800 people affected due to the floods.
In addition, the families can also receive rice, oil, sugar, salt and dal as ration.
The state has released Rs 30-crore so far for relief and restoration work.
Several schools reopened across the district on Thursday and children were seen assisting in cleaning up their classrooms.
About 60 schools in the worst affected villages and towns will, however, remain shut till Saturday for restoration.
"Water, dry food and rations have been airdropped in inaccessible villages through choppers," the statement added.
Air Force officials have been transporting relief material to Kodagu from neighbouring Mysuru district through military aircraft.
The village administrations and city municipal bodies in the district have been given Rs 50,000 each to sanitise water bodies, which have been polluted by the rains and landslides.
Under the national rural employment scheme, the district officials said they will find employment opportunities for the displaced, including involving them in clearing the debris.
The district will soon have common service centres that will issue duplicate identity cards, certificates and documents, which people may have lost in the heavy rains and floods.
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Muniratna should be expelled from BJP: Dinesh Gundurao
Bengaluru: Karnataka's Health Minister Dinesh Gundurao has demanded the expulsion of BJP MLA Muniratna from the party, urging the BJP to demonstrate its commitment to justice and fairness to the people of Karnataka.
Taking to micro blogging platform, X on Tuesday, Gundurao remarked, “BJP MLA Muniratna’s casteist comments against the Vokkaliga community have been confirmed by the FSL report submitted to the SIT. He not only demeaned the Vokkaliga community but also made derogatory remarks about the women of the community.”
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He further alleged, “It has been established that Muniratna is not only a casteist but also a misogynist. Despite this, the BJP continues to support him, proving yet again its anti-women stance. The BJP’s backing of Muniratna exposes its hypocrisy in claiming ‘Hindus are one.’”
Gundurao also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan, "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao," calling it "ridiculous" in light of the BJP’s alleged support for individuals accused of mistreating women. He urged the BJP to take action and protect the dignity of women and vulnerable communities in the state.
ಒಕ್ಕಲಿಗ ಸಮುದಾಯದ ವಿರುದ್ಧ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಶಾಸಕ @MunirathnaMLA ಜಾತಿ ನಿಂದನೆ ಮಾಡಿರುವುದು ಈಗ ಎಸ್ ಐ ಟಿ ಗೆ ದೊರಕಿರುವ ಎಫ್ಎಸ್ಎಲ್ ವರದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸಾಬೀತಾಗಿದೆ. ಮುನಿರತ್ನ ಒಕ್ಕಲಿಗ ಸಮುದಾಯದ ಕುರಿತು ಕೀಳಾಗಿ ಮಾತನಾಡಿರುವುದಷ್ಟೇ ಅಲ್ಲ, ಆ ಸಮುದಾಯದ ಹೆಣ್ಣುಮಕ್ಕಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆಯೂ ನಾಲಿಗೆ ಹರಿಬಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
— Dinesh Gundu Rao/ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) November 26, 2024
ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಶಾಸಕ ಮುನಿರತ್ನ ಜಾತಿ… pic.twitter.com/th5gIEvFEn
