Karwar: District In-charge Minister RV Deshpande has instructed officials  that contagious diseases like dengue and others should be addressed. He was chairing a review meeting on rainfall and its impact on crops in Uttara Kannada district at deputy commissioner’s office in Karwar on Tuesday.

So far, Karwar has registered 15 cases of dengue. He said officials should take up awareness programme against contagious diseases.

He asked the district level officials to collect report form MLA headed taluk task force on damage due to rainfall and to clean the drainages in the cities for easy passage of water.

He said the district has received 11 percent less rainfall than a normal year. Haliyal, Yellapur and Mundgod taluks have received less rainfall. Even in the month of July, the upper portion of the district gave received lesser rainfall.

Due to heavy rains several cases of property damage has been recorded in Honnavar and Bhatkal area.

In Honnavar alone there are nearly 50 cases of house damage recorded, whereas in Karwar 33 houses have been damaged. He asked the officials to provide compensation to the victims.

Deshpande also said so far 8,800 quintal of seeds have been distribution for sowing. He asked the officials to inform the farmers of alternative crop growing in case of loss of crop due to rain. “Store adequate quality of seeds.”

He said he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh requesting them to reduce the insurance premium of five percent of the horticulture crops. He said under new insurance scheme, farmers are eligible to get compensation for crop loss due to fruit rot and excess rainfall.

Deputy Commissioner SS Nakul, MLA Sharadha Mohan Shetty, MLA Satish Sail, and other officials were present in the meeting.