JAIPUR: As if it is now the turn of southern Rajasthan after the calamitous downpour in the western parts of the State a fortnight ago, the Kota region faces a flood threat in the wake of incessant rain. The sluice gates of all the four dams on the Chambal — including the Gandhi Sagar in Madhya Pradesh — have been opened to regulate the flow. Inhabitants of villages downstream of the Kota barrage have been evacuated to safer places.

All the rivers in the Kota region, including the perennial Chambal, were overflowing on Friday after intermittent rain. After receiving reports of the Kali Sindhi and the Jhapi rivers in Jhalawar district flooding a few villages in Khanpur tehsil, the State Government has sent a helicopter for rescue operations.

The authorities have requisitioned the Army for two helicopters. Relief Secretary R.K. Meena, who briefed newspersons on the flood situation and the relief operations in Barmer and Jaisalmer, said 35 persons were rescued from the Alania river in Jhalawar on Friday morning.

About a dozen persons were rescued from the Kali Sindh and Jhapi rivers as well. Villages in Khanpur tehsil facing a flood threat included Khatoli, Dhamania, Pokhari, Phulera and Jhapi Kheda.

The situation was under control but the authorities were keeping a watch, Mr. Meena said.

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje reached Jaisalmer on Friday on a two-day tour of Jaisalmer-Barmer districts.

On her way, Ms. Raje attended the Gogamedi mela in Nohar tehsil of Sriganganagar and offered prayers at the famous Gogaji dham.

Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat is scheduled to reach Jodhpur on Saturday on a two-day tour of the flood-affected areas. After reaching Bayatu by helicopter Mr. Shekhawat will visit Kavas and Malva by road. He is also scheduled visit Falna in Pali district, which falls in his former Assembly constituency Bali.

The State Government announced another Rs. 100 crore for the flood-affected regions, taking the total relief amount released by it so far to Rs. 636 crore. A control room also was opened in the capital to store relief material — tarpaulin, water tanks, umbrellas, skirts, kurtas, odhni (women's dress), ghaghras, utensils and cattle feed.

Mr. Meena said for micro management of relief operations, three affected tehsils in Barmer and 25 Panchayat Samitis in Jaisalmer had been divided into clusters of five panchayats each.

Barmer tehsil will have five clusters, Sheo 11 clusters and Bayatu tehsil five, he said. IAS officers or senior officers from the State services will supervise the relief efforts.

Mr. Meena said no more deaths were reported from Barmer.

Those working on rehabilitation have disposed of 15,000 carcasses, vaccinated 28,536 cattle and treated another 32,120.

State's Health Minister Dijamber Singh is the chief coordinator of the relief works in Barmer district while Agriculture Minister Prabhu Lal Saini supervises the work in the Jaisalmer district. Each village in a cluster will have a medical team besides the services of 40 mobile teams deployed in the area.

An extra team of veterinary doctors will be available in each cluster.

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