Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said here on Wednesday that there was no proposal for permanent relocation of flood-prone villages in Karnataka.
Speaking to media persons, Mr. Bommai said that flood-affected people will be shifted to temporary relief camps to be located in areas of higher altitude. The Chief Minister said that as many as 60 villages had been identified as flood-prone during the period of the then CM Mr. B.S.Yediyurappa and houses were constructed for them. But, once the floods receded, people returned to their respective villages and preferred to live there, he added. Hence, only relief camps will be built to accommodate the flood-affected victims, said Mr. Bommai.
The Chief Minister said that he was constantly in contact with the deputy commissioners of all the districts affected by floods. ‘’I have instructed them to ensure that people living in areas affected by floods and landslides last year, be relocated as a precautionary measure as monsoon has intensified all over the State,” he added. Priority is on ensuring that communication links are not snapped and ₹10 crore has been transferred to each of the districts to cope with emergencies.
The CM noted that heavy rains have been reported in the coastal regions with loss and damage to property while there was an increase in sea erosion along the coastal belt. Experts have suggested solutions based on new technologies as a permanent measure and will be harnessed on an experimental basis, said Mr. Bommai.
Siddaramaiah flayed
Reacting to the demand of the Congress leaders that both the Chief Minister and Home Minister Araga Jnanendra should resign over PSI scam, Mr. Bommai lashed out saying that there were many scams that surfaced during Siddaramaiah’s government but they were suppressed.
‘’I am moved by the plight of Siddaramaiah as he is airing irrelevant views to hide his follies,’’ said Mr. Bommai. ‘’A recruitment scam had surfaced during Siddaramaiah’s period and though his name figured in the FIR, the case was transferred to the CID and closed. There were similar scams which were raised in the Assembly but the then Government did not budge,’’ said Mr. Bommai.
Mr. Bommai was in Mysuru to participate in the golden jubilee celebrations of Aandolana Kannada daily.
