Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government has decided to begin disbursing financial relief to the flood affected victims from Tuesday. Sources said the Revenue Department would release around Rs 9,000 each to 553 owners of families whose houses were partially damaged. They will also get minimum Rs 10,000 from Goa Disaster Relief Fund (GDRF) whereas for 12 heavily damaged houses, its owners will be given Rs 95,100 each from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and another Rs 15,000 from GDRF. For each of the 2 lives that were lost Rs 5 lakh will be given to the family members of each of the flood victims who lost their lives, of which Rs 4 lakh have been allotted from SDRF and Rs 1 lakh from GDRF.
The government has also decided to pay Rs four lakh to families, who lost their respective members. The payment will be made through SDRF while additional Rs one lakh will be paid from GDRF. During heavy downpour and floods that continued till mid this month, a father-son duo was electrocuted to death at Ponda. The tragic incident was widely reported in the local media.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had assured to pay compensation to the flood affected victims before Ganesh Chaturthi, through its State funds. The district Collectors were asked to prepare a detailed report to be submitted to the government by August 20. There was however a slight delay in finalising the reports.
Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, who was among the first to announce about the relief package, had said he would submit the reports to the Centre to seek financial relief. Chief Minister Sawant, during his speech on the Independence Day had stated that the detailed report on the loss of lives, property and crops would be submitted to the Centre based on which funds would be sought for the victim families/individuals.
Naik had estimated minimum loss of Rs 10 crore while the Agriculture Department has estimated Rs 9 crore loss to the crops in its report to the State, which was submitted last week. Tiswadi, Pernem, Bardez and Bicholim were amongst the largely affected talukas.
