GULBARGA: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has agreed to make an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas in Karnataka shortly and has asked Union Home Secretary D. Shankaran to make an on-the-spot study of the situation on Monday and submit a report.

Disclosing this to presspersons on Sunday after conducting a survey of the flood-hit areas in Bijapur, Bagalkot, Raichur and Gulbarga districts along with Revenue Minister M.P. Prakash and Water Resources Minister M. Mallikarjun Kharge, Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh said he had talked to the Prime Minister over phone and explained to him the severity of the situation. An appeal was also made to him to conduct an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas.

The Prime Minister had told him about the visit of the Union Home Secretary to Karnataka on Monday.

The Chief Minister said the State Government has released Rs. 100 crores for taking up emergency relief and rehabilitation works in the affected areas. Mr. Singh said the situation is grave in Belgaum and Bagalkot districts.

Mr. Singh and Mr. Prakash said the Government is preparing a memorandum on the extent of damage caused in the affected areas. It will be submitted to the Union Government seeking immediate release of funds to provide relief to the affected people.

As per initial estimates the loss due to floods has been Rs. 1,037 crores. Apart from this, the crop loss due to the flooding of more than four lakh acres is more than Rs. 300 crores. The loss to public property, including roads, bridges, buildings, tanks and electricity infrastructure has been estimated at more than Rs. 500 crores. The State Government proposes to seek a Central assistance of Rs. 1,037 crores, he said.

To a question, Mr. Singh said so far 113 people have died in the floods and a compensation of Rs. 56.50 lakhs has been released for the next of kin of the victims' families. To another question, Mr. Singh said nine districts have suffered extensive loss due to floods.A total of 1,250 villages have been affected and people in more than 250 villages have been shifted to the relief centres.

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