615 houses in Pathanamthitta were completely destroyed in the flood. About 327 were replaced with new houses. The Government distributed financial aid to all 18,372 victims who submitted applications. The beneficiaries in the district were given Rs.63.25 crore for rebuilding houses. Financial assistance is being disbursed to 2,405 persons who suffered partial loss in the deluge.
The floods destroyed 2836.8 hectares of crops. An amount of Rs.6.55 crore was spent for the revival of the agricultural sector in the district. 11,133 farmers were given distress relief assistance. Animal Husbandry Department suffered a loss of Rs.22.6crore. 4,587 dairy farmers were given financial aid.
KERALA STATE
ELECTRICITY BOARD
The power sector faced a loss of Rs.47.4 crore. 82,656 power connections were restored at an expense of Rs.14.46 crore. 228 transformers were restored at a cost of Rs.6.27 crore. Rs.18.61 crore expended to reinstall electric lines up to a length of 507 km.
DAIRY DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT
The Dairy Development Department has disbursed a sum of Rs.2,429 crores for the dairy farmers. 145 farmers were allotted financial aid of Rs.47,85,000 to purchase cows; 97 farmers given aid of Rs 64,02,000 and 65 farmers were provided with
Rs.32,50,000 to set up cattle sheds. Mineral salt mixture worth Rs.70,000 was distributed. A total of 407 farmers were provided immediate relief of Rs.84,50,000. Under the three-tier panchayat scheme,Pulikizhu, Ilanthoor and Koyipram block panchayats distributed cows at a cost of Rs.22,90,676; Rs.2.50 lakh; and Rs 1.10 lakh respectively.
ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL
AID OF RS.25,000
The State Disaster Management Authority will provide additional assistance of Rs 25,000 under ‘Pratyudhanam’, a resurrection programme to help people whose houses were fully or partially destroyed (15%-100%) in the flood or landslides. 1,100 persons in the district will get aid under the scheme.
31 NEW HOUSES SANCTIONED,
4 COLONIES TO BE RENOVATED
Thirty-one flood victims belonging to SC community in the district who lost houses were sanctioned new houses by the Scheduled Caste Development Corporation. 31 houses in 6 blocks were allotted for the community.
PRIYA IS ALL SMILES IN FRONT OF HER NEWLY BUILT HOUSE
Horrified at seeing the destructive flood taking away their house, Priya did not have much option but to escape safely along with her husband Jayalal, who is a workshop labourer and their children Ajay and Abhay. The family which led a humble living had to surrender all their little earnings to the nature’s wrath. Kuttoor village in Pathanamthitta was one of the initially flood-affected areas. Angry water gushed into their shack on the banks of Manimala river all of a sudden. Priya ran to the relief camp along with her family, and stayed there for more than five days. On reaching the spot after the floodwaters receded, they could not find any of their belongings.
It was at that time the State Government extended a helping hand by granting them Rs 95,100 from the State Disaster Response Fund and Rs 1,52,450 in two installments from Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund. The family built a new house in four months using the Government aid of Rs 4 lakh.
Priya wears a smile on her face as the month of Karkkidakam showers pitter-patters on her new stronger Aikaraparambil House, in the 4th ward of Kuttoor village, narrating the hellish days of the great deluge last year.
