Home Minister and in-charge of Udupi Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday asked the Udupi district administration to conduct a survey of crop loss due to heavy rain and distribute compensation to the affected farmers at the earliest.
Speaking to Udupi Deputy Commissioner G. Jagadeesha through a video conference from Bengaluru, the Minister asked him to constitute taluk-level teams, comprising Revenue and Agriculture department officials, to conduct the survey.
He asked the Deputy Commissioner to ensure that the farmers did not face dearth of fertilizer for paddy cultivation and other farming activities.
The Minister also asked him to distribute compensation to those whose houses have been damaged in the rain, at the earliest. People in flood-affected areas should be given ration on priority, he said. The Deputy Commissioner told the Minister that the flood situation now does not warrant shifting people from any area.
Mr. Jagadeesha said that the district required 1,000 tonnes of fertilizer and Mangaluru Chemicals and Fertilisers will supply it on Friday. As much as 88 % sowing has been completed.
Referring to COVID-19, he said that of the 2,100 active cases, 1,100 patients are taking treatment in their houses and the remaining are in care centres and in hospitals. The district has reported 46 COVID-19 deaths. The death rate is on the rise as patients are getting themselves admitted at the last minute, he said.
The Minister instructed the Deputy Commissioner to take up rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 only if its absolutely necessary. Otherwise, RT-PCR should be followed, he said.
