Won`t help those who encroach upon floodline areas: Maha govt

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Government on Tuesday made it clear that from the next year no assistance would be provided to those who encroach upon the blue-line (flood-line) areas along the rivers across the state.

The blue-lines are lines of demarcation along the main river bed deciding the boundary of prohibitive zone. "People keep on encroaching the blue-line areas even if they are rehabilitated elsewhere. But since there was heavy rainfall this year, we would help them (people residing in blue-line areas) towards their rehabilitation. However, henceforth, no help would be provided," state Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Patangrao Kadam told reporters. Kadam also said that the cabinet sub-committee of the state government has decided to annually spend Rs 500 crore for the rehabilitation of the people affected due to heavy rains since 2006. "About 1.27 lakh houses in the state were destroyed since 2006. The sub-committee decided to distribute funds worth Rs 500 crore towards the rehabilitation work," he said. The minister also said that the government would give financial assistance of Rs 2.50 lakh to the next of the kin, who died in the heavy rains this year. "Rs 70,000 will be given to each farmer whose crop has been destroyed completely. Financial assistance will also be given to the farmers who have lost their cattle in the floods," he said further. "Distribution of funds to those who have lost their family members in the floods this year has been initiated. District Collectors have been asked to distribute the amount without waiting for the government orders," Kadam said. The minister however added that it would take some time to distribute the funds to the farmers whose crop was destroyed. PTI