PANJIM: Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday seeking financial assistance from the Centre for the people of Goa affected due to the continuous downpour and flooding. Large tracts of farms and houses have been damaged due to heavy rains and the administration has estimated that the loss is Rs 10 crore. 

Naik held a review meeting with the North Collector R Menaka on Saturday evening to take a stock of the situation. After the meeting, he said that four talukas in the North District were adversely affected due to the rain fury. 

“This has happened after many years. Four talukas including Tiswadi, Pernem, Bardez and Bicholim have been affected and the district administration has been prompt in undertaking relief exercise. I will meet the PM and the Home Minister tomorrow (Sunday) seeking financial assistance for Goa,” he said while addressing a press conference after the high-level meeting at the Office of the North Collectorate. 

While the government has already assured to grant financial assistance through the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund till the time the Centre extends financial help, Naik has contributed Rs 50 lakh from the MPLAD funds for the relief package. 

Several villages including St Estevam, Akhada, Chorao, St Cruz, Revada, Camurlim, Colvale, Menkure, Amona across the four talukas have been affected. Naik said that several persons were evacuated from the waterlogged homes and flooded areas while their houses have been damaged. Those mud houses, he added, collapsed. 

“We will compensate the affected families. The Collector will prepare a detailed report on the loss, families affected, and other aspects of the current situation, within eight days. As of now, the minimum estimated loss is Rs 10 crore,” the union minister said. 

To a question, the minister said that he supports additional financial assistance to those adversely affected. He also stated that people who have lost their lives in the flood will be also compensated. 

With large amount of damage on record so far, Naik however denied lack of preparedness from the district administration. Collector Menaka added that the field officers were consistently on the spot across the district to take the stock of the situation and provide relief to people. 

Additional Collector Vikas Gaunekar conceded that several people did not want to be rescued with the hope the water would recede. “People did not want to come out of their houses saying the water would recede, but it increased instead. We (rescue teams) had to force them to come out of the dangerous places and that is how they were evacuated,” he added.