BIJAPUR: Minister for Water Resources K.S. Eshwarappa said here on Wednesday that work on restoration of power supply to flood-hit villages would begin on Thursday.

Mr. Eshwarappa, who has recently been appointed as the District in-charge Minister, held a marathon meeting with public representatives and officials on issues concerning the district, including recent floods, progress of development works and pending projects.

In darkness

He told presspersons that most of the villages along the river had plunged into darkness after the floods. Most of the transformers were out of order, and they were to be either repaired or replaced. The Minister said district administration had been instructed to complete the work within 10 days.

He said the flood had devastated the villages. It has been decided to appoint a nodal officer for every affected village to coordinate and supervise the relief measure.

He said teams consisting staff from Revenue and Agriculture Departments had been formed to assess the damage owing to floods and drought, and they had been asked to file a detailed report within a week. Initial assessment put loss at Rs. 35 crore. The Minister accused the Union Government of adopting a step-motherly attitude with regard to providing relief fund. The State had also been severely hit by flood and had sought Rs. 1,200 crore for relief measures but nothing had been realised. However, it released a good amount to other states such as Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

Decision on compensation

Mr. Eshwarappa said the compensation fixed for crop loss was not adequate. A decision would be taken in this regard after studying other states, especially Maharashtra. Besides Tarapur, another flood-prone village Chikkahavalagi in Sindagi taluk would be rehabilitated by the Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Limited at the cost of Rs. 3 crore.

Mr. Eshwarappa said a special meeting would be held in Bangalore on August 24 to discuss the steps to be taken to expedite the pending projects in the district. Officers and public representatives would participate in it, he said.

On the delay in inauguration of main bus-stand and three-km-long Korthi-Kolhar Bridge on National Highway 218, the Minister said the inauguration was likely to be held on September 6.

Chikungunya

Referring to cases of chikungunya, the Minister said in all 71,700 people had been affected by the disease in the district. At present, only 30 gram panchayats had fogging machines and other 169 gram panchayats would also be provided with such machines soon.

Shortage of teachers

On the shortage of teachers in rural schools, the Minister said there were over 200 additional teachers working in Bijapur city mostly on deputation and they would be posted to suitable places based on the requirements.

Bijapur MP Basanagouda R. Patil Yatnal, City MLA Appasaheb Pattanashetti, Zilla Panchayat president Arjun Rathod, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mohsin and Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Rajeev Ranjan participated in the review meeting.

Mr. Eshwarappa gave Rs. 50,000 as relief to the wife of Imabsab Alisab Bagwan of Devanagaon village in Sindagi taluk, who was drowned in the Bhima. He said the Union Government would sanction a relief of another Rs. 50,000 to the spouse of the deceased.

Earliers, Mr. Eshwarappa visited the newly-constructed main bus-stand and the incomplete indoor stadium.

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