What is National Calamity Fund?
Can someone explain to the country?
Karnataka, AP flood havoc, once in hundred years disaster! Calls for Central action too!
Why the Centre and the Congress party shows such lethargy?
Such take it or leave it attitude?
A flying visit by Air Force plane and then a late announcement!
The Congress party President visited Andhra Pradesh and she didn’t visit Karnataka, is the refrain!
And pray, where are the Karnataka Ministers in Delhi? Why they didn’t think fit take time off and visit and even be present, camp at the disaster sites and give some relief, mentally ,if not materially? Is this a rude questioning or any sense is there in asking such questions?
The Chief Minister Yeddyurappa is under tremendous pressure, he loses his cool and snaps at the pressmen, one can understand and even sympathise with the man. The Home Minister collapses under fatigue. They are all brave men and they are doing their best and what is the point here is that the Central government’s task is not over. You don’t go back and sit tight in your chairs. You don’t wait for a delegation to come over there and wait for you all.
The state Congress is behaving not so well. No this is not the time to take partisan stands and you don’t gain anything. If at all, you only lose all the sympathy and goodwill of the voters in the next elections. Karnataka Chief Minister is doing a great job
Floods toll high, first in 100 years of such a scale of devastation. Now, about 226 flood-prone villages are to be relocated to new places and this has to be done in such a speedy manner so that the currently displaced people are securely given a new life.
Is this an ordinary job? Not at all.
Luckily for the Chief Minister the state too, the public response from the corporates to the ordinary people is truly heart-warming. So, the shifting of the villages in such large number is going to be real challenges and a test on the entire resources of the state, both materials as well as on the human resources.
The Chief Minister has promised this gigantic task will be achieved and completed by March end and this is very, very welcome promise and must help to soothe the tempers of the much hurt flood victims. Everyday we see and hear stories that are heart-breaking, the faces of farmers and the villagers sitting distraught in front of the houses that are almost completely washed out and the lone bullock cart or the cattle left to stare at the visitors and the farmers who lost their crops, some committing suicides and these are very difficult times for the people as well as for the governments, both in Delhi and in the state.
What is really very encouraging is the fact that a large number of private organisations like the Sri Dharmasthala Gramabhivruddhi Yojana are coming forward to undertake this task. The noted NGO would build something like 400 houses and also other organisations.
The Chief Minister has vowed to be present and stay almost the rest of the time till such rehabilitation takes place and not sit in the office in Bangalore. Such an announcement in itself has invigorated the very atmosphere in the state.
Rightly the Chief Minister says that the new villages won’t be like the old ones but they will be very much a modern township like environments. This is as it should be.
A modern township like built-up area with all modern facilities, drainage and sanitation etc would really usher in a new era of modern day living and conveniences.
The Chief Minister has moved fast and he is very much a man among the flood affected crowd, he is everywhere and every time he speaks he speaks from the very inner heart.
For instance, some villages, why may be most of the villages have to be moved away from the present flood-hit locations, some villages are moved 1.5 km away and even more distances one has to be moved out in order to ensure future threats of floods.
The kharif crops this time all gone and the villagers are now in desperate need to find jobs.
This will again pose new problems and new challenges.
The Chief Minister led a team of party leaders to New Delhi to wait upon the Prime Minister and others. The CM has asked the PM to relax the norms of relief under the National Calamity Fund and instead of one third of the relief, he demanded one half of the funds and that by his calculations the state needs immediately about Rs.6 thousand corres and eight lakh people are affected in 18 districts, the CM and the delegation that met the PM told the need for immediate help. The Congress heavyweights in New Delhi and the BJP MPs and the JD (U) all joined the delegation while the local Congress leaders and the JD (S) didn’t join. It is really funny to see the local leaders fighting shy of rising up like statesmen!
Not just flood relief funds, there is a whole lot of things one has to attend to before normalcy returns.
Comments
By kskarnic on November 11th, 2009 at 10:05 am
It is a fund to help the ruling party at the centre. They can use this fund to garner votes or provide money to the States ruled by their party to gather sympathy of the followers. Otherwise Manmohan singh would have alloted more funds to Karnataka State which is equally affected as A.P. However his hands are tied and would not dare to take an independent decission even when lakhs of his countrymen have been rendered homeless with nothing to cover and eat. It is less said the better about oposition leaders of the State. They cannot go to Delhi without the permission of the Madam that to with the BJP ministers. It is a shame we have accepted them as leaders.