Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said on Tuesday that the State government would supplement the compensation available to the farmers, who had lost their crops in floods and landslips in Kozhikode and Kannur district early this month, under Central norms. Thus they would be getting two to three times the compensation compared to what is available under Central norms.
Talking to the media after a meeting of the Cabinet, the Chief Minister said that the State government would fund the additional compensation. Orders had already been issued specifying the norms. The Cabinet had decided that these norms would apply to farmers who suffered damage in Malabar and asked the Agriculture Department to assess the losses and report to it.
The collectors had been asked to estimate the losses from damage to roads and bridges and other infrastructure. The Cabinet would take appropriate decisions on receipt of the reports.
Mr. Chandy announced that the State government would form a State Disaster Response Force on the lines of the National Disaster Response Force. Initially, about 100 policemen would be absorbed into the force. The State government would also request the Centre to station a unit of National Disaster Response Force in Kozhikode as before.
He said that the Biju, who had lost his entire family in landslip in Kozhikode district, would be given the job of a driver in government service. Nithu Babu, who had lost her grand father and suffered injuries, would be given admission to nursing college at Kozhikode Medical College by creating an additional seat.
He said that the district administration of Kozhikode and Kannur along with police, fire force, health, revenue, agriculture would be congratulated for their role in relief work. The Centre too had helped by sending in the Navy and National Disaster Response Force. However, the Force had to be airlifted from Coimbatore and that caused delays. Hence, the request for stationing a unit in Kozhikode.
