Government would explore the possibility of enhancing the relief amount to those who have suffered loss in the recent heavy wind and rains in different parts of the State, in consultation with the Union Government, said Revenue Minister, Adoor Prakash.
The Minister was inaugurating the district-level disbursement of relief amount to natural calamity victims in the district at a function held at the collectorate here on Thursday.
He said the relief presently doling out to the victims was grossly inadequate, considering the heavy loss many of them have suffered in the natural calamity.
Mr Prakash said a total of Rs 3.5crore has been sanctioned for Pathanamthitta ditrict in view of the extensive damage to properties, standing crops and other agriculture in the recent wind and rains.
Relief worth Rs 1 lakh each has been sanctioned to those who have lost their house completely and this would be released in two installments, he said.
A total of Rs 47,83,950 have been disbursed as relief to 562 people on Thursday, according to official sources.
An official survey conducted by the Revenue department a week ago has found that as many as 403 houses have been partially damaged and 113 houses fully destroyed in the natural calamity in different parts of the district.
Pandalam-Thekkekkara, Kodumon, Angadickal, Kulanada, Thumpamon, Vallikkode, Pandalam, Thannithode, Thekkuthode, Konni, and Pathanamthitta town were among the worst affected areas.
However, unofficial reports say that the damage and loss due to wind and rain in the district was much more than the official assessment.
The Minister also disbursed treatment relief worth Rs 1,00,000 on the occasion.
K.Sivadasan Nair, MLA, presided the function. Anto Antony, MP; Chittayasm Gopakumar, MLA; Babu George, District Panchayat president; P.Venugopal, District Collector; A.Sureshkumsr, municipal chairman;
H.Salimraj, Additional District Magistrate, and K.P.Sasidharan Nair, Deputy Collector for disaster management, also attended the function.
