Minister for Handloom, Textiles and Sugar and Dharwad district in-charge Shankar Patil Munenakoppa has said that the State Government has released ₹7.5 crore for Dharwad district for taking up immediate flood relief works.
This apart, steps will be taken to find a permanent solution to the problem of frequent flood damage caused by the Benne Halla during the rainy season, he said.
Speaking to presspersons after visiting flood-affected Yarinarayanapura village in Kundgol taluk of Dharwad district on Monday, he said that authorities have already been directed to come out with an effective comprehensive plan to tackle the problem of flash floods in the Benne Halla.
The Minister said that the district received 112 mm rainfall against an average rainfall of 28 mm during November.
The sudden downpour damaged crops in over one lakh hectares of land in the district, he said.
The government will give compensation of ₹5 lakh for completely damaged houses and ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh for partially damaged houses. The process of disbursing ₹8 crore directly to bank accounts of farmers is in process and the government will ensure that is a transparent procedure, he said.
Tuppari Halla
Mr. Munenakoppa said that a detailed project report (DPR) for flood management in the Tuppari Halla based on the Paramashivaiah Committee Report has been prepared and the government has also given technical approval to it.
“The Benne Halla, which takes birth at Dhundsi, runs 138 kilometres via Haveri, Dharwad, Gadag and Bagalkot to join the Malaprabha river. A detailed project report for efficiently utilising the 22 tmcft of water in the Benne Halla has been prepared,” he said.
During his visits to the fields, he was accompanied by Kundgol MLA Kusuma Shivallai, Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil, the former MLA S.I. Chikkanagoudar and various officials. The farmers aired their grievances before the Minister and sought early disbursement of compensation and initiation of relief works.
