M'shtra seeks Rs 500 cr from Centre for relief

Mumbai, Aug 8: Maharashtra government has demanded a financial assistance of Rs 500 crore from the centre for relief operations in the flood affected districts even as the death toll in the rain related incidents has risen to 970.

Talking to reporters after the cabinet meeting today, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil said that 2172 villages of 104 talukas in 19 districts of Maharashtra were affected due to heavy rainfall and flood resulting in over one lakh people being shifted to safer places.

Out of 97 casualties reported so far, 11 people were swept away while others died due to wall collapse. He said the relatives of the dead would be given compensation of Rs one lakh while the injured will get Rs 50,000 as per the norms which were fixed in the last year's flood.

He said 5,790 animals including 139 cows, 94 bullocks, 97 calves, 222 buffaloes, 581 sheeps and 4500 chickens have died in this flood.

Mr Deshmukh said the destitute families would be given Rs 1,000 per person and not more than Rs 5,000 per family.

He also said discussions were held with Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar who assured the state government that ten kg rice, ten kg jawar and 10 litre of kerosene will be given to the affected families. He said this time the central government agreed to give Jowar in place of wheat.

Mr Deshmukh said three helicopters have been assigned in Nanded district, one each in Nasik, Ahmednagar and Yavatmal apart from 68 boats including 48 mechanised boats which are available in 16 districts for the rescue operations. He also said five submarines of Navy are also sent to Nanded for rescue operations while two rubber boats for each districts were sent to Nasik, Jalgaon and Nandurbar.

An army team has also been sent to Ahmednagar, the Chief Minister said adding that the people who have been moved to safer places would be provided food and medicine by the voluntary organisations and if not then the government administration would provide the same.

Mr Deshmukh said the state government was in touch with the Chief Ministers and authorities in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat for the release of water from Puchampada, Almatti and Ukai dams so as to ease the pressure of floods to Godavari, Krishna and Tapi rivers respectively.

''All the three counterpart governments are cooperating and releasing the dam waters, taking into consideration the situation in their areas also'', he added.

When asked about the delay in the installation of 'Doppler' to predict rainfall, Mr Deshmukh said it has to be installed by the Science and Technology department of the Central Government which has selected the site at Juhu which is coming in the perview of Airport Authority of India.

Mr Deshmukh further said both the departments were coming under the perview of central government and state governments would provide all assistance for the same.

He said in Marathwada Nanded, Hingoli, Parbhani were the worst affected districts while Chandrapur, Akola, buldhana and Washim in Vidarbha and Nasik, Jalgaon, hmednagar, Dhule and Nandurbar in North Maharashtra were the worst affected.

The administration has started shifting people from pandharpur due to release of water from the dams in Pune.

He said Godavari river is flowing at 355 meter height while 13 lakh cusecs of water was being released from the river on Tapi dam.

Mr Deshmukh said since all the dams are flooded and due to heavy rainfall in the catchment area, the water has to be released.

UNI

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