Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Drought: Kerala seeks Rs 165 crore from Centre

TPURAM: Reeling under an unusally grim summer, Kerala on Wednesday decided to seek Rs 165 crore as assistance from the Centre to tackle drought conditions.

According to Revenue Minister K P Rajendran, the state wanted central support of Rs 115.69 crore for maintaining water supply through short-term schemes in the drought-hit areas.

For other urgent measures like supply of drinking water through tankers, construction of check-dams in forest areas, deepening of ponds and tanks would require another Rs 39 crore.

A sum of Rs five crore would be needed for compensating losses suffered by farmers in different parts of the state on account of summer showers, he said.

In lightning during the summer showers five persons were killed in the last few days and 100 houses were destroyed completely and another 2600 damaged partly, he said.

Crops loss had been reported from at least 800 hecatres of land across the state, the minister said.

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