Vadodara floods: Rs 5.25 crore relief distributed to affected traders

Vadodara, Sep 18 (IANS) Small traders affected by the recent floods in Gujarat's Vadodara city have received direct financial aid of Rs 5.25 crore from the state government so far.

The financial aid was given under the special relief package announced by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. The amounts have been directly deposited into the traders' bank accounts, said officials here on Wednesday.

Municipal Commissioner Dilip Rana and Collector Bijal Shah ordered 200 surveyors to assess the damage and expedite the relief process. These surveyors began their work on Saturday, and despite many shops being closed due to the weekend and festival, they continued their operations.

Resident Deputy Collector Dr B.S. Prajapati informed that 3,555 traders have received the assistance so far. This includes Rs 1.19 crore credited to 2,370 handcart vendors, Rs 80.60 lakh to 403 small cabin traders, Rs 3 crore to 752 large cabin traders, and Rs 25.50 lakh to 30 traders with permanent shops.

City Sub-Divisional Officer V.K. Sambde stated that the surveyors are working swiftly to ensure the traders receive assistance as soon as possible. The state government has allocated Rs 25 crore for this relief effort.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat government has established a five-member committee to conduct a thorough field investigation into the causes of flooding in Vadodara city and propose measures to mitigate future flood risks. A senior official stated that the committee will assess the water-carrying capacity of these bodies, conduct site inspections, and submit a comprehensive report with recommendations for mitigating future flood risks.

The committee will be chaired by B.N. Navalawala, former advisor to the chief minister and former secretary in the Government of India. Other members include S.S. Rathore, advisor to the Chief Minister; M.N. Rai, an engineer from the Central Water Commission; Prof. Gopal Bhatti from the civil engineering department at Maharaja Sayajirao University; and the municipal commissioner of Vadodara.

The committee's mandate includes a detailed examination of the Ajwa Reservoir, Pratappura Sarovar, and the Vishwamitri River, along with their catchment areas.