MARGAO
Government relief is still not forthcoming for the beleaguered family till date, even after five days an inferno had gutted two residential houses at Colva.
Help and succor from the villagers and well-wishers and now assistance through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), has helped the beleaguered family to start repairs of the two houses and have a shelter of their own, throwing up questions over the relief citizens are entitled to under the disaster management and the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
A visibly agitated Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas made a fervent plea to Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate to streamline the natural calamity relief fund as well as the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to ensure the victims receive immediate relief to rebuild their lives and houses.
While help through CSR and from individuals have helped the family to take up the repair work, Venzy was clear in saying that while CSR will give the beleaguered family a big relief, he reminded that it is the government’s job to promptly attend to disasters by sanctioning the relief fund within 48 hours.
“The two houses belonging to two brothers were gutted in the massive inferno on March 6. Till today, the families have not yet received any relief from the government. This is not the only incident where the government has been found wanting in rushing immediate relief to the victims,” he said.
Venzy added: Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate should come out with an App based system so that victims of natural calamities receive the government relief soon to rebuild their houses and lives. The App should put a mechanism in place wherein the talathis upload their panchanama reports immediately so that the entire process is completed and the victims receive the relief within 48 hours.”
He lamented that many a house which suffered damages during the last monsoons are yet to get the government’s relief from the disaster management fund.
Saying the family has received relief through CSR, which would help the two families to repair the houses with new rafters, ribs, roof tiles, besides plastering of the walls, Venzy appreciated the gesture of the groups which supported the two families, besides the villagers and well-wishers who rushed with financial help and assistance.
