CANACONA
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday asked the local bodies to immediately make use of available funds for cyclone relief work as per eligibility and assured that the amount would be reimbursed by the State government.
Sawant also assured that all farmers, including those without Krishi Cards, would get compensation for losses to their crops due to Cyclone Tauktae in Canacona.
The chief minister was addressing a gathering during his visit to Canacona to review the cyclone relief work and Covid situation.
He later chaired a joint meeting with officials of various departments involved in relief work in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Babu Kavlekar, Deputy Speaker Isidore Fernandes and former MLAs Ramesh Tawadkar and Vijay Poi Khot.
Deputy Collector Udhay Prabhudesai informed that 50 electricity poles were destroyed affecting 30 km of electricity alignment, while 2 transformers were damaged incurring losses of Rs 52 lakh.
Electricity Assistant Engineer Sanjay Goankar informed 70% of the power supply had been restored in the taluka, while the power to the remaining areas would be restored within the next two days.
The chief minister was informed that 100 houses suffered partial damages, including 63 houses in Khola, 8 in Agonda, 7 in Canacona municipality, 5 in Shristhal and 3 in Poinguinim.
Sawant said the municipal council can spend up to Rs 1 lakh and panchayats up to Rs 50,000 to repair the damaged houses.
“I request local bodies to utilise available funds and get the partially damaged houses repaired in time before the monsoon. These amounts will be reimbursed by the government in due course.”
“The Government High School at Gaval-Khola which had its roof badly damaged will be restored in due course,” said Sawant, while directing the Collector (South) to make necessary provisions of funds.
Canacona ZAO Kirtiraj Naikgaunkar informed the chief minister that the famed Khola chillies, which were in the early stage, were totally damaged by the cyclone, while 20 hectares of horticulture crops were also affected. He said 243 claims for compensation had been received.
The chief minister declared that all affected farmers, including those without Krishi Cards, would be compensated and directed the agriculture officer to accept applications from non-holders of Krishi Cards as well and send them to the deputy collector.
“We will compensate non-holders of Krishi Cards for their losses from the Chief Minister’s Relief Funds,” said Sawant.
Isidore said the removal of trees blocking the highway had been hampered in the absence of a crane with Disaster Management Authorities in Canacona.
“We request the government to make available a crane at the disposal of Canacona Disaster Management Authorities,” said Fernandes.
Among the officials present at the meeting included Canacona Mamlatdar Vimod Dalal, Disaster Management Authority Incident Commandant Vinayak Volvoikar, Water Supply AE Lester, Canacona PI Tulshidas Naik and Fire Services Station Officer R V Pednekar.
