Attacking the BJP government over insufficient work done in flood-affected areas across the State, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah on Thursday said that temporary sheds had not been constructed for affected families, compensation amount was yet to reach the victims, and survey of crop losses had not been completed even after two months.
“Victims have pitched tents on their fields or on roads. Even my attempts to get shed constructed for victims in my constituency Badami has not yielded fruits,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said, during the adjournment motion on floods in the Legislative Assembly. He said: “The government has assured to pay ₹5,000 as rent for 10 months to those who lost houses. Where do you get houses on rent in rural areas and that too in flood-affected villages where many houses have been damaged? Is it not a failure on part of the government in not getting sheds constructed?”
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that ₹10,000 announced as compensation had not reached many families. “In rural areas, though joint families get property division, they end up staying in the same house. In several cases, only one unit in larger families has got compensation. Their ration cards have been damaged or lost.”
Stating that his own assessment of loss is over ₹1 lakh crore, the former Chief Minister said that at least 1,000 villages have to be shifted out of the flood-prone area. “Most people want to move after being affected in 2005, 2009 and now. When you construct houses, consider their needs. Those built post 2009 have been abandoned as there is no infrastructure. Farmers maintain tractors, bullocks and cattle, and stock hay. These have not been taken into consideration,” he said. To assure the victims, he said the session should have been held in Belagavi.
DyCM responds
The State government did not opt for the legislature session in Belagavi this time as all officials including the Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) are busy with flood relief work, Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi said. Responding to criticism by Opposition leader S.R. Patil in the Legislative Council, Mr. Savadi said of the 22 flood-hit districts in the State, Belagavi was the worst hit.
“The decision to not conduct the session in Belagavi was based on a request by the officials,” he said.
