Belagavi DC calls for volunteers to help with rehabilitation

He says there is enough relief material to be distributed among the flood-hit

Representatives of NGOs at a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner at zilla panchayat office in Belagavi on Friday.

“We are committed to the complete resettlement and rehabilitation of the flood-hit families. We will take up this task in association with NGOs and civil society groups,” Deputy Commissioner S.B. Bommanahalli said here on Friday.

“There is enough relief material to be distributed among the affected. We need volunteers to help us in rehabilitation and resettlement,” he said.

“There is a significant stock of food and other materials. The State government has released funds and NGOs have contributed generously. What we need is a large number of volunteers,” he said.

He was speaking at a coordination meeting of government and non-government agencies at the zilla panchayat office.

“We have successfully evacuated over 4.14 lakh families. We have set up over 490 relief centres in which over 1.85 lakh persons took shelter. Now the focus will shift to resettlement and rehabilitation,” the DC said.

“We are looking at a comprehensive rehabilitation programme and are awaiting instructions from the government on housing. Our immediate priorities will be pure drinking water, health and hygiene. We need a massive clean-up operation of the affected villages. We need to provide water to the affected population and prevent the spread of contagious diseases,” he said.

“Each family leaving the relief centre is being given a kit with foodgrains and oil to set up their kitchen. This should take care of their needs for at least 10 days,” he said.

“Draining of the water, cleaning up the villages, ensuring potable drinking water will be taken up in the next few days. Our officials will be occupied with surveys and identifying beneficiaries,” the DC said.

“The distribution of materials and benefits will be done through a transparent process. Here again we will work with NGO s and make sure that the deserving beneficiaries get the goods,” he said.

“We are considering several options for providing houses to affected families. We may go for temporary shelters while the pukka houses are constructed. We may either support farmers who want to rebuild their houses or repair their dwellings. We may also allot houses to families in mass construction sites,” he said.

He acknowledged the contribution of various NGOs to flood relief.