Daijiworld Media Network - Shivamogga (SP)
Shivamogga, Aug 14: Chief minister (CM), B S Yediyurappa, who acknowledged that excessive rains and floods have inflicted untold miseries on the entire state, promised to announce special package within a week.
The CM was speaking after visiting flood-affected areas like Shivamogga, Sorab, Thirthalli, Shikaripur and Sagar taluks of the district on Tuesday August 13 and spending time with affected people besides instilling confidence in them. He told the newspersons that the officials have been instructed to assess the loss due to flood. He said that special package would be announced also for the development of flood-hit regions.
"The state government is committed for the rehabilitation of 40,000 families who have been displaced by the flood. I request the people not to give any credence to rumours. Landslides have destroyed fields in the state. I request the farmers not to become panicky. We will extend all kinds of assistance to them," he assured.
Because of heavy rain, a huge landslide had happened at Hegalatti village in Thirthahalli taluk. Yediyurappa visited that village and distributed compensation cheques to three families which were affected by floods.
The chief minister was to visit flood-affected areas in Shikaripur, Sagar and Sorab taluks of the district after visiting flood-affected regions in Shivamogga taluk by helicopter. But the helicopter pilot expressed the apprehension that bad weather might make the helicopter travel difficult. Therefore Yediyurappa postponed meeting of officials and press meet proposed to be held in the city and travelled by road to the other areas. In the evening he held meeting in the city.
During the CM's visit to Rajiv Gandhi Extension in the city, a woman who was distressed by heavy rains as she had lost her house, fell at his feet and pleaded to build her house again. Yediyurappa promised her to instruct the deputy commissioner to build a house on Mangalore model for her.
Yediyurappa said that he would be visiting New Delhi on August 16 during which he will pressurize the central government to release additional grant to the state to manage flood situation. He said that the ministry expansion will happen on August 17 or 18.