Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa surveyed flood-hit areas in state's northern part.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa surveyed flood-hit areas in the northern part of the state, where heavy rain has submerged villages, displaced thousands and destroyed crops over the last 10 days.
Mr Yediyurappa today did an aerial assessment of the Kalburgi district, one of the four districts hit hard by the ongoing floods.
The government says the affected people have been evacuated to rain shelters and that relief work is on. But, the opposition Congress remains critical, saying the BJP is busy campaigning for the November 3 bypolls.
"There is virtually no government in Karnataka. Everyone is busy in making money. All are busy in campaigning for the by-elections. They are just wasting time instead of providing water and food to those facing difficulty. Neither the chief minister nor the cabinet ministers are on the job. Now, we ask the people of Karnataka to teach them a lesson at least on this issue," Congress spokesperson VS Ugrappa told NDTV.
The BJP-led state government insists it is doing what it can to help those hit by the floods.
"Rescue and evacuation work is being done effectively. Rehabilitation work has started and supplies are being sent to relief centres. The Chief Minister is also visiting districts," Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ashwath Narayan said.
The floods, caused in part by torrential rain in the catchment areas of the river Bhima that originates in Maharashtra, have displaced an estimated 36,000 people.
Floods also left hundreds of animals dead across Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Yadgir and Raichur districts, where the government estimates the flood-related loss to be around Rs 3,000 crore.
The Karnataka government has also tried to target neighbouring Maharashtra for the recent flooding, saying the discharge from dams there have added to the difficulty.
"You know very this situation has arisen because of the discharge from the neighbouring state (Maharashtra). We will take all measures and ensure people's safety," the Deputy Chief Minister said.
Other parts of Karnataka, including coastal and mainland districts, are still recovering from the fallout of heavy rains in August and September. The latter is estimated to have caused damage of Rs 8,000 crore.