Water starts receding in flood-affected areas, 38,000 people affected

Bhopal: Flood water has started receding in most of the affected districts of the state. About 38 thousand 200 people of 106 villages in 6 districts have been affected by floods. It has been decided to effect major amendment in provisions of Revenue Book of Circulars for providing relief for damage to kuchcha houses. According to it, compensation against kuchha house has been increased from Rs. 20 thousand to Rs. 70 thousand. House under Indira Aawas Yojana will be sanctioned to any BPL family whose kuchcha house has been destroyed completely.

Shri Chouhan directed that provisions of Revenue Book of Circulars should be amended to provide maximum relief to affected people. Relief of Rs. 70 thousand should be provided for damaged kuchcha house, which is Rs. 20 thousand at present. Compensation against damage to pucca house should also be increased from Rs. 35 thousand to Rs. 50 thousand. Similarly, relief against utensils and other material should be increased from Rs. 2 thousand to Rs. 5 thousand.
Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan gave these directives while reviewing relief works in affected districts at a meeting here this morning. Chief Secretary Shri R. Parasuram and DGP Shri Nandan Dube also attended the meeting.
The Chief Minister directed that now priority should be given to provide relief and flood-affected areas and deal with possible health-related problems. Necessary medicines should be dispatched to affected villages. Water in affected villages should be disinfected by adding bleaching power. He directed that food packed should be airdropped to marooned houses. It was informed that 2 Air Force helicopters have started airdropping food packets in affected villages.
It was informed that water release from Bargi dam in Jabalpur has reduced to 70 thousand cusecs from 2 lakh cusecs. Due to lesser inflow of water, only 45 thousand cusec water instead of 5 lakh cusecs is being released from Tawa dam in Hoshangabad district. Water level at Sethani Ghat, Hoshangabad has receded to 979 feet from 984 feet. Presently, water inflow in Narmada river at Handia in Harda district is 13 lakh cusecs, which is expected to reduce three-fold by the evening. Water has receded by one meter at Mortakka and is expected to recede further during next 24 hours. Water level has not receded so far in Barwani and Alirajpur district due to backwater effect of Sardar Sarovar Dam. However, it is also expected to recede during next 24 to 48 hours. It was informed that due to heavy rains yesterday, 6 people died in Chhindwara and one each in Bhopal and Hoshangabad. About 38 thousand people have been hosted at relief camps in affected districts. Help of Army has been sought in rescue works in Hoshangabad and Dewas districts. Additional Chief Secretary Home Shri I.S. Dani and DGP Home Guards Shri R.K. Shukla were also present on the occasion.
Following the meeting, the Chief Minister set out for aerial survey. Earlier, he held discussions with Army officers at the state hangar. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan thanked the Army for its assistance. From the state hangar, an Army helicopter also flew to airdrop food packets in affected areas.