The latest episodes of floods and other rain-related calamities have caused a total loss of ₹16.66 crore to the agriculture sector in Kozhikode district. Crops in about 280 hectares of land, mostly in rural areas, perished in the heavy rains.
A field report by the Principal Agriculture Officer stated the calamities directly affected 3,024 farmers.
Paddy cultivation in about 100 hectares of land was destroyed in natural calamities. Vegetable cultivation in about 10 hectares of land was wiped out. Based on agriculture officers’ reports, rubber plantations in about 14 hectares of land were hit.
Animal husbandry
In the animal husbandry sector, the loss was estimated at ₹1.6 crore on the basis of preliminary field reports. The department could so far sanction only ₹2 lakh for temporarily supporting affected farmers. However, they said projects to freely distribute cattle feed and fodder were in progress. There were 26 relief camps for rehabilitating flood-hit animals in Kozhikode district, they added.
The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) was the worst-hit in the recent episodes of rain-related disasters as its biggest power generating unit at Kakkayam was damaged in a minor landslip in the area. Officials said the total loss would be around ₹300 crore. This was in addition to other local incidents in which transformers and electrical lines got damaged.
Roads, bridges
Public Works Department authorities said some of the rural bridges were badly affected.
Emergency repair works to the tune of ₹50 lakh should be executed at least in four major renovation projects in Kozhikode’s rural areas, they said.
According to officials, a huge fund will be required to address the renovation of damaged national and State highway stretches in Kozhikode district.
Grama panchayat authorities said the renovation works, including the reconstruction of destroyed rural roads and buildings, could be completed on time only with the release of a State government fund.
Funds earmarked for other welfare projects for the 2019-20 fiscal could not be diverted for flood-related reconstruction work due to technical reasons, they said.
Emergency works
Meanwhile, officials attached to the Disaster Management Authority said the district administration had asked the government departments concerned to complete all emergency works related to roads and bridges using their own funds. The details of the expenses could be submitted at a later stage to the State government for clearing technical issues, they said.
Officials also said the department-wise list of emergency works to be executed under the post-flood reconstruction initiatives would be ready soon in Kozhikode district.
The list would help the district administration to accurately estimate the total loss and the amount to be sought from the State government to speed up the restoration of damaged infrastructure and amenities, they added.
