All tribal families in the district will get free ration for two weeks as part of relief measures for victims of monsoon-related calamities, Tourism Minister A.P. Anil Kumar has said.
Presiding over a meeting at the Collectorate conference hall here on Saturday, to review relief measures in the district, the Minister said the government would provide immediate financial assistance to the victims.
He said the government had allotted enough funds to the district administration for taking up relief works.
A different voice
At the meeting, when 11 out of the 12 MLAs from the district demanded more relief works for the victims, K. Achuthan, representing Chittur, wanted the government to continue drought relief measures in Chittur taluk.
The area is still reeling under drinking water shortage since it had not got much rain so far. Some parts of Chittur taluk are rain shadow areas.
The Minister directed the officials to continue drought relief works in Chittur taluk.
A.K. Balan, MLA, wanted the grama panchayats to utilise funds sanctioned by the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) to take up health and sanitation projects. Shafi Parambil, MLA, sought urgent repair of damaged roads.
He also wanted the authorities to clean drainage canals of Palakkad city to prevent waterlogging.
K. Ganeshan, Additional District Magistrate (ADM), holding the charge of the District Collector, told the meeting that the district had sustained a loss of Rs.1.45 crore so far.
Partially damaged
Eighty-eight houses were partially damaged and three houses were destroyed in the rain in the district. The loss due to partially damaged houses is estimated at Rs.10 lakh and that due to destroyed houses at Rs.5 lakh. He said the crops were destroyed in 26.24 hectares, and the loss was estimated at Rs.1.14 crore.
Thirty-three grama panchayats suffered crop loss in the district, the ADM said. He said the district had received a record rainfall of 1004.04 mm till Friday.
