Karnataka to release water from Almatti dam; power, water supply hit in Sangli, Kolhapur: Fadnavis

Fadnavis on Thursday chaired a review meeting at Kolhapur and also conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas. “The Karnataka government has agreed to discharge five lakh cusec of water from the dam. With this, the water level in Kolhapur and Sangli will fall,” he said after the meeting. He added that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured of all assistance.

Those affected will get financial assistance along with foodgrain, and a compensation of Rs 5 lakh will be given to the kin of the deceased, the CM announced.

Flood has hit the districts of Kolhapur and Sangli hard with the city of Sangli completely marooned, and over two lakh people living without electricity, Fadnavis told media persons. Several water supply schemes have become dysfunctional and crops and houses have been damaged with thousands shifted to safer places, he said, adding that restoring water and power supply was the priority.

Expressing grief over the loss of lives in the boat accident in Sangli, the CM said: “The boat was carrying over 30 people and it turned turtle when its engine got stuck in a tree branch. The incident happened because of panic.”

“In Kolhapur, four persons have lost their lives. In all, 3,813 houses have been damaged. Among these, 89 houses have been fully damaged. Due to flood, 390 water supply schemes have become dysfunctional. We are working to ease petrol and diesel shortage,” said the CM.

“Evacuation and saving lives is the top priority. Enough medicine stock has been made available. If needed, additional medical teams will be sent from Mumbai. Restoration of electric supply is also on prime agenda,” Fadnavis said while adding that ministers Chandrakant Patil, Girish Mahajan, MP Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati and other leaders are assisting in and monitoring rescue and relief measures.

Those affected will get financial assistance along with foodgrain, and a compensation of Rs 5 lakh will be given to the kin of the deceased, the CM added.

“During the aerial survey, I found most of the Sangli city surrounded by water. My helicopter was not given permission to land at Sangli and Karad. Since Kolhapur has an airport, I could land here and meet affected people,” he said.

Eleven rescue teams including five of NDRF were operating in Sangli, and he had sought five more teams from the Defence Ministry for the district, he said. At Karad in Satara district, flood water was receding, he said.

“As many as 223 villages in Kolhapur have been affected and 18 completely marooned. As many as 28,897 people have been affected, of which, 8,923 have been shifted. Around 97,000 people had moved out on their own earlier,” Fadnavis said.

Some 38,000 people are staying in relief camps in 152 places in Kolhapur and 60 boats have been pressed into rescue operations, he added. Crops over 67,000 hectares are damaged in Kolhapur.

(WITH PTI inputs)