Modi dilly-dallying over rushing aid : Modhwadia

Ahmedabad, July 5 (UNI) Leader of opposition in the state assembly Arjun Modhwadia today demanded the Gujarat government to immediately start a survey of the flood-affected regions so that financial relief can reaches the affected people within a week.

Speaking to mediapersons here at the Circuit House Annexe, Mr Modhwadia said it is regrettable that Mr Modi should have gone abroad during the time of calamity. And after his arrival from Switzerland, he is talking of Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) instead of relief operations, he said.

''I visited three badly affected places -- Ranpur, Bharwada and Khas. The damage in the Khas village, which has a population of about 5000, is maxiumum. 400 houses have been destroyed and there has been heavy loss of cattle heads. Even today, carcasses are floating in Ranpur, Alampur and Khas. No administrative help has reached these villages.

''Officials say the carcasses have not been removed as post-mortem needs to be done. This could lead to outbreak of malaria and other serious water-borne diseases but the government seems indifferent,'' Mr Modhwadia said.

The disaster in Khas village was due to administrative carelessness, he alleged.

The village is situated on the banks of Utarwadi river and the dam doors were suddenly opened without alerting the villagers causing excessive flooding. Only when the people began inquiring about it, they were told the doors were being opened. This has washed away farmlands, he pointed out.

UNI