R. Vishal, Deputy Commissioner, recently said that he had directed all the government departments to take precautionary measures required for dealing with any contingency in the forthcoming monsoon.
In a release here, Dr. Vishal said that the tahsildars of Udupi, Kundapur and Karkala had been directed to start 24x7 control rooms in their offices to deal with monsoon-related problems. The Executive Engineer, Ports and Fisheries Department, had been told to take steps to check sea erosion wherever it occurred, he said.
Another release said there had been damage to life and property due to heavy rain in some places in the district in March and April. One person had lost his life in Karkala, while three heads of cattle were injured in lightning. As many as 89 houses were damaged in Karkala taluk, and 24 in Udupi taluk.
Compensation
The kin of the person who had lost his life had been given a compensation of Rs. 4 lakh, while 76 persons, whose houses had been damaged, were paid a compensation of Rs. 9.48 lakh. Rs. 40,000 had been paid towards the injury and death of cattle in the district.
The district administration had urged the State government to release Rs. 4 crore for the repair of roads and bridges damaged by rain from the Natural Calamities Fund, Dr. Vishal said.
Drinking water
Drinking water was being supplied through water tankers to the parched areas in 44 Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the district including 24 GPs in Udupi taluk, 17 in Kundapur taluk and three in Karkala taluk. Last year, water was distributed through tankers to parched areas in 64 GPs.
An advance grant of Rs. 25 lakh had been released to provide water in water-scarce areas by Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayat M. Kangavalli. But spells of rains in the months of April and May had reduced the drinking water problem in the district, the release added.
Water being provided to 44 Gram Panchayats through tankers
