Faced with massive loss, Basavaraj Bommai pleads for spl central grant

BENGALURU: Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday urged the Centre to announce special grants for the state to tackle the unprecedented damage caused by heavy rain and flash floods over the last two months.
His appeal came at a meeting with the inter-ministerial central team headed by Ashish Kumar, joint secretary, Union home ministry. The team arrived in Bengaluru on Wednesday to assess the damage caused by rains and resultant floods in many districts of the state, including Bengaluru Urban.
The state has received unprecedented rain over the past two months, causing extensive damage to lakes, roads and houses. “Rainwater has gushed into shops and other business establishments. In coastal districts, hundreds of fishing boats have suffered damage. In Ramanagara, silk-reeling units and twisting units too have suffered damage. This kind of damage has happened for the first time,” the chief minister said.
While submitting a preliminary report on the damage caused by rain, the chief minister said the state government has prepared a transparent and meticulous estimate. Officials gave details of the damage caused due to floods in July and August, and relief measures taken up by the state government.
The central team will visit Chitradurga, Hassan, Chikkmagaluru, Haveri, Dharwad, Gadag, Bidar and Kalaburagi till September 9. It was also asked to take stock of the situation in Bengaluru city, Mandya and Ramanagara districts. “We will submit a separate memorandum about damage in Bengaluru,” he said.
Bommai also sought the Centre’s assistance to take up work to prevent sea erosion.