Karnataka floods: Relief works intensified in Kodagu  

Relief works, including food supply to about 7,000 people in 51 camps, repair of roads and highways and restoration of phone and power lines in Karnataka's flood-hit Kodagu district were intensified, while schools would reopen on Thursday, said an official on Wednesday.

"Relief materials are transported in 100 vehicles to all the local bodies from 5 makeshift storehouses set up across the district. With rains subsiding and life returning to normal, all schools and colleges will reopen on Thursday," said state Relief Commissioner Gangaram Baderiya in a statement.

About 60 schools in the worst affected towns and villages will remain shut till Saturday for repairs and restoration works.

"Besides food, gas geysers and cooking gas cylinders have been sent to the relief camps for supplying hot water to the flood victims," said Baderiya.

Two doctors with paramedics are posted in each relief camp. Hygiene in the relief camps is monitored by health inspectors to prevent outbreak of disease.

About 300 civic workers have been stationed at the relief camps to maintain sanitation and cleanliness. Prefabricated toilets have been installed in relief camps.

A state emergency operation centre and district emergency operation centre are operating on round-the-clock.

The state food and civil supplies department has been directed to distribute about 50,000 food kits to the victims to enable them to cook on returning to their homes.

About 100 jeeps carrying groceries, food grains, oil and cooking materials were rushed to households in all the affected villages. A barrel of kerosene was kept at all villages to light lanterns.

The state-run Karnataka State Handloom Development Corporation has contributed 15 tonne of textile materials comprising bedsheets, towels, napkin, saree, shirts, dhothis to the victims in the district.

About 600,000 litres of drinking water was supplied in the district. About 30,000 litres of milk and one tonne of milk powder were also sent to the district by the state-run Karnataka Milk Federation from Bengaluru.

Bread, rusk and other eatables and rations were supplied and airdropped in inaccessible villages.

"About 5,000 text and note books will be distributed to the school students as their books were damaged in the heavy rains and floods. Primary classes will be conducted in the relief camps for the children," noted Baderiya.

The state Public Works Department and the National Highway Authority of India have been directed to expedite repair of roads and highways to restore transport of goods and public across the district. About 70 earth movers and machinery have been deployed to clear the debris on roads and highways.

"Sandbags will be used to build protection walls for avoiding landslides and blocking of roads and highways," said the IAS officer.

The state government has given Rs 50,000 to each local body and Rs 15 lakh to civic corporation to sanitize surface water bodies across the district.

"The district authority is also identifying lands for rehabilitating the flood victims who have lost their dwellings in the worst-affected areas," added Baderiya.

The revenue department will issue fresh property documents of houses and farm lands to those who lost the originals in heavy rains and floods.

with inputs from IANS