Monsoon in Karnataka has claimed 206 lives

Bangalore, Jul 27 (UNI) The South West monsoon in Karnataka has claimed as many as 206 lives besides causing damages worth over Rs 406 Crore to Public and Private properties since April this year, in the State, Minister for Revenue Jagadish Shettar informed the Legislative Council today.

Replying to a discussion on damages suffered due to floods in the State raised under Rule 68, he said that about 46,647 houses were either fully or partially damaged and as many as 2786 cattle had perished since April this year.

Mr Shettar said that due to heavy rainfall the agriculture crop in over 25,561 hectare of land and Horticulture crop in over 13,286 acres were washed away in the floods and state government has appraised the Union Government of the situation and had sought release of additional funds under National Calamity Relief Fund.

He said that the Union Government has sent an eight-member team, who are currently touring rain affected districts in the State, to assess the damages.

Denying allegations by opposition that the State Government has failed in tackling the flood situation, Mr Shettar said that official machinery plunged into action to help the rain and flood affected people. The concerned District in charge Ministers have visited the flood affected areas and personally monitored the relief works. Elaboration the government's action the Minister said that over 20 emergency food-camps were set up to take care of the displaced persons and food grains and other essential commodities were supplied.

Mr Shettar said that the state government has taken all measures to help the flood-affected people as per Centre's guidelines. The state government has paid Rs 50,000 compensation next to the kins of the deceased while another Rs 50,000 would be released shortly.

State government has also released funds to rebuild the damaged houses and agricultural lands.

Mr Shettar said that based on the Central legislation on setting up of State and District level Disaster Management Authority under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister H D Kuamraswamy has already been set up. However, there is some delay in framing rules and guidelines and it would be done soon.

The Minister said that based on previous year's experience precautions have been taken to monitor the release of water from Koyna reservoir in Maharashtra. The state officials were on constant touch with their Maharashtra counter part which helped in containing the submergence of villages in Bhima and Krishna rivers.

However not satisfied with the reply, the opposition Congress members led by their leader H K Patil staged walk-out.

UNI