The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Maharashtra blamed for floods

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Friday, Aug 15, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Maharashtra blamed for floods

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has held Maharashtra responsible for the flash floods in Belgaum, saying the sudden discharge of water from Koyna Dam is the cause for it.

The Chief Minister said the Government of Maharashtra “should not play with the lives of the people” downstream of the river by releasing water without prior information to the State authorities. Maharashtra is said to have released 2.2 lakh cusecs of water.

Mr. Yeddyurappa told presspersons here on Thursday that all deputy commissioners had been instructed to take up relief works in the flood-affected areas on a war-footing.

Instructions had been given to shift people from the low-lying areas to safe places and open more relief centres in districts.

The Government had released Rs. 100 crore from the Calamity Relief Fund for implementing relief measures in the affected districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Belgaum, Bijapur, Shimoga and Uttara Kannada.

The Government would urge the Centre to release funds from the National Calamity Relief Fund for providing relief to those families that had lost crops and houses in the rain havoc, he said.

Minister for Major and Medium Irrigation Basavaraj Bommai was camping in Belgaum and supervising relief works, he added.

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