An Army unit at Eloor prepares to leave after rescue operations. (Photo: Nirmal Harindran)
With rescue operations almost coming to an end in Kerala, the state government is now faced with the ominous task of restoring and repairing infrastructure that was destroyed in the floods and landslides. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Tuesday sought Rs 2,600 crore assistance from the Centre for relief and rehabilitation work. He also announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be contributing Rs 700 crore towards the flood relief efforts in the state. But despite the offer, the government may turn it down as India has not been accepting foreign aid money since 2004. In the past 14 years, India has refused aid from Russia, US and Japan for Uttarakhand floods in 2013, and for the Kashmir earthquake in 2005 and floods in Kashmir in 2014. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit last week, had announced an assistance of Rs 500 crore in addition to the Rs 100 crore announced by Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
A step-by-step guide on how you can donate to the Kerala CM’s relief fund
A couple being rescued via boat by locals near Aluva
Over 10.78 lakh people, women and children below 12 years of age, are being taken care of in as many as 3,200 relief camps. A couple being rescued via boat by locals near Aluva. (Express photo)
Hundreds of schools, colleges, marriage halls and auditoriums that turned into temporary settlement camps for those escaping the floods. A photo from the camp in Kanjoor in Ernakulam district where food is being served. (Express photo)
As flood-hit Kerala struggles to restore its civic infrastructure, the reconstruction of the damaged road network poses a major challenge. The state faces the task of rebuilding 10,000 km of damaged roads under the state public works department even as it faces an acute shortage of raw materials. The state will also have to support construction of at least 1 lakh houses damaged in the flood, further increasing the appetite for stone mining.
The unexpected need for huge mining comes at a time the state’s booming construction sector has been under strain since June, after the government ordered closure of stone quarrying units in ecologically fragile, landslide-prone areas in the Western Ghats.
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The team of doctors, from J J Hospital in Mumbai and B J Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital in Pune, have been visiting various villages and tehsil areas where relief and shelter camps have been put up to conduct basic health and medical check-ups. Fever, headache and skin infections were among the immediate problems the team of 90 doctors had found among those hit by the deluge.
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During floods, the villagers who probably didn't even know each other's names, stuck their necks out for each other, showing remarkable courage in the face of adversity. People went from house-to-house, whistling and shouting, knocking on doors in the dead of night to tell their neighbours, friends and family that it was not safe to remain at home.
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Kerala has sought a special package of Rs 2,600 crore from the Centre for relief and rehabilitation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Cabinet have collectively announced interim assistance of Rs 680 crore for the state so far.
According to the CM Vijayan, the cabinet decided to seek sanction from the GST Council to levy 10 per cent cess. The state would also ask the central government to increase the cap on the state’s market borrowing. At present, the debt cap of the state is three per cent of its GDP. If this is increased to 4.5 per cent, the state can borrow an additional Rs 10,500 crore from the market, Vijayan said.
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Over 200 people have reportedly been killed in the floods and thousands have been displaced in Kerala. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has pegged the loses incurred by the state at Rs 19,512 crore so far. A special assembly session will be held on August 30 to discuss relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction, Vijayan said. India will have to turn down UAE's offer for the flood relief contribution of Rs 700 crore due to a policy made in 2014.
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