Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa announced here on Monday that the Government, in association with private organisations, would take steps to shift all the 226 flood-prone villages in the State by March-end.
He was addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone for the permanent relocation of Kongawada village in Navalgund taluk, which gets affected whenever the Benni Halla is in spate.
Under the Sri Dharmasthala Gramabhivruddhi Yojane close to 400 houses would be built for the displaced people.
Listing out the initiatives taken by the Government to help the flood-affected people, Mr. Yeddyurappa said: “We will take steps to build new villages under public-private partnership”.
Referring to the relocation of the flood-prone villages, the Chief Minister said: “It is not another village that we will be creating. It will be a new township with all amenities and adequate infrastructure.”
He said that the dream of Mahatma Gandhiji and the former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to develop villages would begin in Karnataka.
Speaking about the loss suffered by people in the flood-prone areas, Mr. Yeddyurappa asked them not to lose heart.
The Chief Minister said that the compensation being given to the affected people was meagre and promised that the issue would be discussed with the Union Government.
Mr. Yeddyurappa said that the Government would take steps to find a permanent solution to the problem of frequent floods.
Those who spoke earlier, including Chairman of the Legislative Council Veeranna Mattikatti; Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar; Pralhad Joshi, MP; district in-charge Minister Murugesh Nirani; and Navalgund MLA Shankar Patil Munenakoppa emphasised the need for finding a permanent solution to the problem of frequent floods whenever Benni Halla is in spate.
Welcoming the guests, Mr. Munenakoppa appealed to the Chief Minister that steps be taken for constructing small bridges near Morab, Gundagol, and Tadahal villages which had been washed away in the recent floods.
Mr. Joshi stressed the need for a comprehensive survey and chalking out a plan for ending floods in the region. Mr. Shettar endorsed Mr. Joshi’s views and suggested approaching philanthropists for the construction of bridges.
Jeevandhar Kumar, secretary of SDME Society, read out the message of Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D. Veerendra Heggade. Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai; Rajya Sabha member Rajiv Chandrashekhar; Basavaraj Horatti, Vijay Sankeshwar, Mohan Limbikai, and Shivaraj Sajjanar, MLCs; Regional Commissioner C.M. Shirol; Deputy Commissioner Darpan Jain; and Hescom managing director Ajay Nagabhushan present.
