BENGALURU: As each year rain lashes the state, it also pours misery and death. The last two months of pre-monsoon showers and the first week of monsoon this year has been no different with 104 deaths recorded from April 1 to June 10.
But what is more curious to note is that the government has recorded as many as 94 deaths in the last two months due to lightning strikes.
It is a known fact that lightning strikes claim the lives of over 2,000 people in India each year.
And Karnataka is no different from the rest of the country.
“The lightning strikes are primarily recorded during the pre-monsoon showers in the state, due to the high presence of thunderstorm activity,” said director for Karnataka state natual disaster management cell, GS Srinivas Reddy.
According to the director, despite 94 deaths due to lightning, Karnataka is way behind when compared to other states in the country.
“State like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have recorded as many as 300 to 350 deaths due to lightning in the same time frame, which suggests that the state numbers are not very alarming,” said Reddy.
The 94 deaths have been verified and certified by the local village accountants and the deputy commissioners of the various districts.
On Monday, newly appointed revenue minister R V Deshpande said the state government has already disbursed the compensation of Rs 5 lakh per deceased person, with Rs 4 lakh as per the natural disaster management regulations and another Rs one lakh from the chief minister’s relief fund, on directions from CM H D Kumaraswamy.
Apart from the 94 deaths due to lightning, the other 10 deaths have been recorded due to wall collapse or tree falls.
Meanwhile, the government has also recorded the death of 332 cattle in the state and has allocated Rs 25,000 per cattle.
On properties, the government has paid Rs 5,200 each for partially damaged homes and Rs 95,100 for fully damaged houses in the state.
As many as 2101 houses have been damaged partially and another 189 fully damaged.
“I have also directed the officials to pay a bigger amount for the partially damaged homes and relax the norms as the poor cannot be subjected to close scrutiny when his house has been damaged,” he said.
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