an>
Title : Flood situation in various parts of the Country.
SHRIMATI PRATIBHA SINGH (MANDI): Sir, I thank you for giving me this opportunity. As you know, adverse weather conditions in the monsoon season continue to wreak havoc in the far-flung areas of Kinnaur and Spiti valley in the Himachal Pradesh creating panic among the tribal people. Most of the areas of Kinnaur and almost the whole of Spiti Valley are still cut off by road, by electricity and even by mobile connectivity for the past many days.
A 30 feet concrete bridge constructed recently on the Hindustan-Tibet road over Radlang nallah was also badly affected in the flash floods. Another Bailey bridge constructed in the Valley over this nallah has also been damaged. This flash flood was triggered off by a cloudburst in this area. This road on the Himalayas which is also vital from the Defence point of view, is once again cut off for the traffic to go beyond this point. Last month due to a cloud burst, Spillow village was cut off, which was then repaired and the traffic was restored but it is still restricting the heavy traffic to go beyond this point.
While the work was going on, the General Reserve Engineering Force set up wooden logs on the nallah, so that hundreds of people stranded on both sides could pass through the damaged portion. A total of 60 metre of the road stretch including the concrete bridge was completely damaged in these floods. Efforts are being done by the GREF to fill up the damaged road by huge boulders so that the traffic could be restored at the earliest[r16] .
It would take a few months to construct this road. Widespread damage has been done to private and public property. As many as eight houses in the villages of Hikim, komic and Lagcha have been partially damaged due to heavy rains. There has also been loss to standing crops like Peas and other vegetables grown in these areas. Around 100 foreign tourists, who had come to visit this area have been stranded because of roads having been cut off. I would like to earnestly request the Central Government to take this matter seriously so that these tourists who have been stranded there could be brought back from there. In the Miar area of Lahaul Valley a bridge over Challing nullah was washed away by these floods and about 50 people who were stranded because of this took refuge in another village. The link road in this area has been disrupted. The water level of the Sutlej river, as you have been reading in the newspaper, has increased alarmingly and this has created panic amongst the people of the area. A lot of damage to this area had taken place last year due to floods.
A bridge situated on the main road linking Kinnaur and Spiti Valley near Tabo was also washed away. Even the Udaipur – Killar road, the only link to the Pangi Valley in Chamba district has been blocked due to landslides. Even in Mandi district, landslides on the Kamand link road from Katola in Drang block have blocked the roads disrupting the traffic.
So, I would like to urge upon the Central Government to assess the loss owing to floods and take a serious view of the situation as prevailing there and should extend full support to the State to bring back normalcy at the earliest in these remote and far-flung areas of my Parliamentary constituency.
PROF. M. RAMADASS (PONDICHERRY): Sir, I have already drawn the attention of the hon. Home Minister to the serious flood situation in the one of the enclaves of the Union Territory of Pondicherry. Yanam, a small pocket surrounded by the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, has been almost completely washed away by the incessant rains and flood water that are coming from the States of Maharashtra and Gujarat. A lot of damage has been done to the social assets as well as to private assets of the people. Although there has been no loss of life reported, yet there has been extensive damage to crops, cattle, roads, bridges and to various other infrastructure. We would have to rebuild the whole thing. According to tentative estimates available a sum of Rs. 50 crore would be required to meet up this loss to crops and various other things. The Government of Pondicherry has been doing its best to take up relief measures on war footing.
Sir, I would like to request the hon. Minister to rush relief to the Union Territory of Pondicherry. I feel that most of the people who have been affected are fishermen, landless labourers and sea community people. They have been deprived of any income and employment for the last ten days. Therefore, a sum of Rs. 3000/- to each family to such 12,000 affected families should be rushed immediately and then when the final estimates would be made, the Government can release more money out of the Drought and Relief Fund of the Government.
DR. M. JAGANNATH (NAGAR KURNOOL): Sir, due to heavy rains in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka all the rivers in the Andhra Pradesh are in spate causing floods in many districts of Andhra Pradesh, particularly in the Telengana and Coastal Andhra Pradesh. More than one thousand villages are still under water. More than 100 people have died and many more are missing; lakhs of people have become shelterless. Thousands of cattle have been lost due to floods. Lakhs of acres of crops have been submerged due to this. Flash flood waters had gushed into many towns and entered into the houses. At many places old houses have collapsed causing death to many people and also has resulted in loss of property. Not only the transport system, but also electricity and other means of communication have been very badly affected[snb17] .
In fact, there is nobody to help the affected people. As usual, the response of the Government of Andhra Pradesh is lukewarm and no proper steps have been taken to evacuate and rehabilitate the flood-affected people. There is no drinking water even for the affected people, leave alone food and other civic facilities.
There is likelihood of contagious diseases spreading very rapidly due to lack of civil amenities at the camps. The Government of Andhra Pradesh is casual in paying attention to the flood affected victims and in providing rehabilitation to them.
MR. SPEAKER: This is not the time to make a two-pages speech.
DR. M. JAGANNATH : There are only to more points for me to make.
Even the Chief Minister was very casual when he visited North Andhra Pradesh to review the flood situation. Our Parliamentary Leader, Shri Yerrannaidu was not given any chance to bring the matter to the notice of the Chief Minister..… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: You are lucky that the hon. Minister is ready to respond to you.
DR. M. JAGANNATH : Sir, through you, I request the Government of India to intervene immediately and take steps on a war-footing to help the victims in the flood affected areas, arrange for help in cash and kind and send medical teams to look after the people in those areas.
SHRI SANTASRI CHATTERJEE (SERAMPORE): Sir, while associating with Dr. Jagannath, I wish to add a few points.
Hon. Members have already expressed their views about the flood situation. They have informed the House the terrible situation caused due to incessant rains in different parts of the country, particularly in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and other States. Rains have caused havoc resulting in loss of a large number of lives and the normal life of people is in jeopardy. The hon. Home Minister and the Finance Minister are present in the House.
MR. SPEAKER: You are very lucky that you have a responsive hon. Minister who is trying to help you.
SHRI SANTASRI CHATTERJEE : The hon. Finance Minister who is releasing funds is here as also the Home Minister. I appeal to them to rise to the occasion and stand by the people of the marooned States in this hour of crisis.
श्री रामदास आठवले (पंढरपुर) : अध्यक्ष महोदय, मैं आपका आभारी हूं कि आपने मुझे बोलने का अवसर दिया। आप तो हमेशा कोआपरेट करते हैं और मैं भी आपको हमेशा कोआपरेट करता हूं। महाराष्ट्र में बाढ़ की स्थिति बहुत गंभीर होती जा रही है और वहां नांदेड़, वर्धा, चन्द्रपुर, गठजोली और पंढऱपुर क्षेत्र भी है जहां पानी भर गया है महाराष्ट्र में सौ से ज्यादा लोगों की मृत्यु हो गई है। सतारा, सांगली और कुर्लापुर में भी स्थिति बहुत गंभीर है, इसलिए मैं भारत सरकार से अपील करना चाहता हूं कि महाराष्ट्र को और ज्यादा पैकेज देने की आवश्यकता है और मुम्बई शहर में पानी तेजी से बढ़ता जा रहा है। मेरी आपके माध्यम से भारत सरकार से मांग है कि मुम्बई ड्रेनेज के लिए भारत सरकार को मदद देने की आवश्यकता है। २६ जुलाई २००५ को मुम्बई में जो स्थिति पैदा हुई थी, वह स्थिति पैदा न हो, इसीलिए भारत सरकार को इस ओर ज्यादा ध्यान देने की आवश्यकता है क्योंकि हमारा भी ज्यादा ध्यान भारत सरकार की तरफ है।…( व्यवधान)
अध्यक्ष महोदय :ज्यादा बोलने से फायदा नहीं है। ज्यादा बोलने से ज्यादा रुपया नहीं मिलता है।
…( व्यवधान)
THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI SHIVRAJ V. PATIL): Sir, States like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka and other areas are affected by heavy rains. We are constantly in touch with the concerned Chief Secretaries and Chief Ministers as also with the Forces. We have given them Army columns, helicopters and other things to help them. The first instalment of the Calamity Relief Fund has already been released and we have asked to release the second instalment of the Calamity Relief Fund to these States. These funds can be utilized for giving immediate relief to the people who are suffering.
Our country is big. In some places, we have drought conditions and in some other places, we have heavy rains. We will look into the difficulties faced by the people in the drought conditions as well as the difficulties faced by the people suffering due to heavy rains. If there is anything more to be done, we will be asking the State Governments to prepare their plans and send them to the Government of India which will be carefully examined for giving them assistance to rehabilitate the people permanently. ..… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seat. I will not allow you.
DR. M. JAGANNATH : I am requesting the hon. Minister on only one point. Still, many of the villages are under water for the past five or six days[bru18] .
MR. SPEAKER: Please do not record what Shri Jagannath says. Now, I am calling hon. Minister, Shri S.S.Palanimanickam.
… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Jagannath, I have given the fullest opportunity. You are lucky that the hon. Minister has responded suo motu.
… (Interruptions)
———————————