Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami has assured compensation for the crop loss due to the floods caused by heavy discharge of water from the dams. He also assured permanent houses for the affected people.
The dams, including Mettur and Bhavanisagar, have been discharging huge volumes of water in view of continuing high inflows from Karnataka reservoirs like Krishnarajasagar.
The discharge has resulted in inundation of a slew of villages and submergence of standing crops along the banks of Cauvery, (its tributary Bhavani in Erode) in several districts of Tamil Nadu.
“Presently, inflow into the Bhavanisagar dam is 21,000 cusecs and discharge is 3,000 cusecs. From the Mettur reservoir the outflow is 2 lakh cusecs and the inflow is about 1.95 lakh cusecs,” Palaniswami said.
The Chief Minister, who was speaking to reporters after inspecting flood-affected areas in Erode district, said the Government would disburse compensation for the damaged crops proportionate to the extent of loss.
“The Government will give compensation for the crop damage after the flood waters recede,” he told reporters.
In Erode district, 47 villages and 609.69 hectares of crops, including horticulture, have been affected. Those residing along the banks of the rivers Bhavani and Cauvery have requested safe, permanent houses and the Government would take steps to fulfil their request, he told reporters when asked about the representation from the affected people.
Palaniswami said the Government was extending all help to the people whose houses were damaged due to inundation caused by the release of excess water from dams.
As many as 7,832 people have been sheltered at relief centres in Erode district, 263 houses fully damaged and 114 partially damaged, while 1,599 houses have been inundated, he said.
A flood alert was sounded for 13 districts, including the Cauvery delta regions, besides Madurai and Theni as the Periyar and Vaigai dams too received copious inflows. The Chief Minister visited the flood-affected areas in the town and at nearby Komarapalayam, along with Ministers K A Sengottiyan, K C Karuppannan and M R Vijaya Baskar.
The Chief Minister visited the relief centres and distributed rice, vessels and blankets to the affected people.