Madikeri, August 23: Former chief minister and coalition government coordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Kodagu as it has incurred heavy loss due to flood, rains and landslides and more than 6000 people were affected and announce the compensation.

After visiting various relief camps here on Thursday, Siddaramaiah said that he came to know about the huge loss due to natural disaster. So, the Prime Minister should visit the district, survey the affected areas and announce the compensation immediately. He would welcome the decision of announcing Rs 500 crore Kerala. In the same manner, let him announce the relief package to Kodagu district, he demanded.

He would advise the state government to constitute an experts committee to assess the loss of properties and lives in the district. He had asked Minister Krishna Byre Gowda to create job opportunities under MNREGS to affected people. He had also advised Housing Minister UT Khader to prepare a programme to ensure temporary and permanent settlement to more than 6000 affected people, he added.

The district administration should take steps to admit the students to hostels immediately. After 1924 and 1964, the district has received this record rains. In Madikeri only, more than 225 inch rainfall was recorded. Because of the continuous rainfall, some villages were disappeared, he said.

Priority should be given to lay roads, power connection, construction of houses, ensuring education to the children, healthcare facility and food grains to all affected people irrespective of APL and BPL beneficiaries, he said.

The Congress MLAs and MPs have decided to give their one month salary to Kodagu and another month’s salary to Kerala flood victims, he said.

The government has been doing well in taking up relief measures. But it should be accelerated further. KPCC has also constituted a relief committee led by Rajya Sabha Member Ramamurthy and the committee would visit the district soon. Later, it would be decided on how to help the district. Already, 50 doctors from KPCC Doctors Cell reached the district and involving in relief works, he said.

Around 600 km rural roads and 150 km PWD roads were damaged in the incident. He was in touch with the Chief Minister and concerned ministers in taking up relief measures in the district. He would also discuss the issue in the Coordination Committee meeting as well, he said.

KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao said that the Relief Committee constituted by the party would collect the donation and contribute to the district. Already, the material collected from the party has reached the district. The party would extend all its support, he said.

KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre, former MP Vijay Shankar, MLC Veena Achaiah, former MLC MC Nanaiah, district Congress president Shivu Madappa, and others were present.



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Chennai: A video clip of IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti purportedly praising the 'medicinal value' of Gomutra has gone viral in the social media.

The director allegedly endorsed the "anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and digestive properties," of Gomutra and said it is useful for conditions such as the Irritable Bowel Syndrome and batted for consideration of its "medicinal value."

He made that comment while narrating an anecdote from the life of a sanyasi who consumed gomutra when he had high fever; taking part in an event held at a Go Samrakshana Sala here on the day of Maatu Pongal (January 15, 2025) here.

Congress leader Karti P Chidambaram slammed the remark, and said: "Peddling pseudoscience by @iitmadras Director is most unbecoming @IMAIndiaOrg."

Sources in the premium institution confirmed that the remarks were made by Kamatkoti and they added that he being an 'organic farmer,' he spoke at the goshala event and there was a larger context to his remarks.