Karnataka gets Rs 46 cr for relief work in flood-hit Kodagu
Bengaluru, Aug 27 : Karnataka has so far received Rs 46.15 crore as funds for relief and rehabilitation of people in flood-hit Kodagu district, an official statement said.
"The Chief Minister's relief fund has received a total of Rs 46.15 crore through contributions from various state's institutions, private firms and employee associations," a statement from Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy's office said.
Demand Drafts (DD) worth Rs 14 crore were received through 153 different individuals and organisations, while more than Rs 9 crore was transferred to the relief fund through internet banking and digital wallets.
Kodagu's villages, towns and public infrastructure were severely damaged after torrential rains caused floods and landslips in the hilly district during the southwest monsoon from August 14-22.
According to preliminary estimates, the district has suffered losses worth Rs 1,140 crore to public and private property as a result of the rains, Kodagu Deputy Commissioner P. Sreevidya earlier said.
At least 34 village panchayats have been badly damaged.
Apart from the Chief Minister's relief fund, several Kannada media houses, private organisations and non-governmental organisations have also been collecting funds to help the region in distress.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her visit to the district last week announced Rs 1 crore aid from Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), being a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka.
She had also said Rs 7 crore will be given to the affected district from the state-run defence organisations' corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds.
While Karnataka has sought Rs 2,000 crore interim relief from the Centre for rehabilitation measures in the hilly district, Sitharaman had said the aid will be announced only after an assessment of the losses.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
