Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister B. Ramanath Rai on Sunday told government officials not to bother about the losses to government and its properties.
“What is important for us is the loss caused to the people and their lives. Pay them compensation immediately,” he directed them, while presiding a meeting of the district natural calamity monitoring committee here.
Mr. Rai took exception to the delay in payment of compensation towards the loss of life and property in rain. Addressing a Mangalore Electricity Supply Company (Mescom) official, the Minister said, “You may offer reasons for the death of a person. For us, it is a death due to electrocution and his/ her family should immediately be compensated as per government norms.”
Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim directed revenue officials to pay compensation to damage of properties within one week of the application. There should not be any delay, he said. Additional Deputy Commissioner Sadashiva Prabhu informed the meeting that the administration had about Rs. 1.5 crore in the calamity relief fund.
Admitting that Mescom had suffered unprecedented losses during the recent storm and rain, Mr. Rai asked the power supply company to concentrate on restoration of power supply. “This is the month of Ramzan, don’t let people complain about power disruption when they undertake and break the fast,” he said.
The Mescom official told the meeting that of the 2,532 odd poles that were damaged during the recent rain in the district, 95 per cent had been restored. About 250 odd poles would have to be restored in Sullia and Kadaba regions in the dense forests.
Those too would be restored in three-four days, he said.
Mr. Rai said the ongoing tussle between local electrical contractors and power companies was a known fact. However, the company could not give contractors’ strike as an excuse, he said.
District Health Officer Ramakrishna Rao said that 1,247 people had tested positive for dengue between January and June this year and five people had died. Though testing and treatment were available in primary health centres, people go to private hospitals and approach the government hospitals at the last moment, he said.
