BELGAUM: Agricultural Marketing Minister Prakash B. Hukkeri has said that he will take up with Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh the demand by legislators to increase compensation to people affected by floods in Belgaum district.

Mr. Hukkeri held out this assurance while replying to legislators during a meeting held here on Tuesday to review flood relief works in the district. Several legislators, including Sachidanand Khot, Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council, and Suresh Angadi, MP, and presidents of gram panchayats attended the review meeting. Umesh, Development Commissioner for north Karnataka; Deputy Commissioner Shalini Rajnesh; and Belgaum Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Shivalingamurthy were present.

On allegations that the relief has not reached all the affected people and the survey done in this connection is improper, Mr. Hukkeri said the issue can be discussed at the respective taluk-level Karnataka Development Committee meetings. A resolution should be passed identifying areas and people not covered by the surveys so that the matter can be taken up with the State Government, he added.

The legislators argued that the compensation of Rs. 1,000 for an affected family is inadequate, while the compensation for crop losses is paltry. The State Government will look into this issue, Mr. Hukkeri said.

Heated exchange

The meeting witnessed a heated exchange between Ramesh Kudachi, Congress MLA, and Mr. Khot over the alleged shortcomings in the relief works. Mr. Kudachi took exception to a remark by Mr. Khot against the State Government. There was also a heated argument between Mr. Kudachi and Raju Kage, BJP MLA.

Kaksaheb Patil, Nipani MLA; Manohar Kinekar, Uchgaon MLA; Shashikant Naik, Hukeri MLA; Shivaputrappa Yadwad, Ramdurg MLA; and others were present.

Mr. Angadi suggested that the State Government should take up with the Centre the need to increase the compensation amount for the affected.

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