Thiruvananthapuram: Natural disasters have always taken a huge toll on life and resources in the district and
Ockhi cyclone saw the district spending the highest amount among all other affected districts in terms of relief fund in various components.
As per the statistics with the revenue department, an amount of Rs 18.90 crore was spent in Thiruvananthapuram as part of various relief measures following Ockhi, the highest amount for relief to be spent in the past few decades in the district.
Kollam, Ernakulam and Alappuzha, the other severely affected districts had to spent Rs 3.7 crore, Rs 2.96 crore and Rs 5.05 crore respectively.
In the capital, relief fund had to be spent under nine different components. Apart from major allocations like aid for the dependants of the deceased and missing persons, the relief fund was spent on persons who were seriously injured, those who lost their houses, for distribution of food kits, financial aid for the injured persons and compensation for agricultural loss. The relief fund spent on
Ockhi in the district was almost close to the amount being spent under state disaster response fund (SDRF) for various emergencies.
Between 2010-11 and 2015-16, the district was allocated SDRF ranging between Rs 11.79 crore to Rs 41.06 crore. Under SDRF, the bulk share of relief is concentrated on floods with amount being distributed among agriculture crop loss, repair and restoration of damaged roads and bridges and ex-gratia to bereaved families.
The other major relief fund under SDRF is given as miscellaneous relief expenditure.
Samuel John, additional district magistrate, said that the relief fund spent on Ockhi was the highest amount ever spent following a disaster in the district in the last few decades. “It called for quick action and we had to keep supporting the families with financial and other types of aid continuously,'' said Samuel John. It was the unprecedented nature of the disaster which resulted in such a huge casualty.
It had caught us completely unawares and most of the fishermen were in the sea at that time and even the damage it caused on the shore was huge and hence it required us to pump in funds in large quantities to sustain the families and to restore their normal lives,'' added Samuel John
The district administration had spent Rs 10,000 on each family of missing fishermen for December, January and February.
An amount of Rs 20 lakh each was distributed to dependants of 92 persons who went missing during Ockhi disaster. Deaths of fifty fishermen were confirmed in the district and their families were provided Rs 20 lakh each.
