Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], July 10 : Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the state government has expedited relief and rehabilitation measures in flood-affected Surat, announcing that financial assistance of Rs 6,800 for household items and cash doles has already reached more than 20 per cent of affected families and will be disbursed to all eligible households by Friday evening or, at the latest, the Saturday morning.
Addressing the media on Thursday, the Deputy Chief Minister also directed authorities to distribute new clothes to more than 150 affected migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states who lost their belongings in the floods.
Sanghavi conducted a midnight ground inspection of cleanup operations in the flood-affected areas and reviewed the progress of relief and rehabilitation work being carried out by the administration.
Earlier in the day, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel chaired a review meeting on the flood situation in Surat city. Union Minister CR Patil was also present at the meeting.
Giving details of the review meeting, Sanghavi stated that, in accordance with the decisions taken during the meeting, the city-wide survey to assess damage to household items and identify beneficiaries for cash doles has been largely completed.
"Financial assistance of Rs 6,800 for cash doles and household items has already reached more than 20 per cent of the people. By tomorrow evening, or at the latest by the following morning, all families whose houses were flooded or sustained damage will receive this assistance. Even today, the entire administrative team is working on preparing the disbursement packets. We expect to complete this work by tomorrow or the morning after," he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the state government has also established a mechanism to facilitate the timely settlement of insurance claims for those who have suffered losses due to the floods.
He said the Surat Collector will convene review meetings every 15 days with insurance companies to ensure claims are processed without delay.
"An online dashboard has also been created where people can track the appeals they have made to insurance companies. The government has appointed the Surat City RTO and the lead banker as in-charge of this process. Under their leadership, assistance will be provided to ensure insurance claims are cleared," Sanghavi said.
He further stated that the survey of shops and commercial establishments affected by the floods is also nearing completion.
"By tomorrow evening, the survey for all affected commercial areas in Surat will be completed. In the coming days, under the Chief Minister's guidance, a policy will be formulated to ensure assistance reaches everyone as quickly as possible," he said.
Highlighting the government's immediate priorities in the aftermath of the floods, Sanghavi said cleanliness, safe drinking water and public health remain the key focus areas.
"Our primary priorities are cleanliness, clean water, and health. A door-to-door health survey has already begun. Our teams are reaching every home with all necessary medicines, and in the next three days, they will have visited every household that was affected by the floodwaters," he said.
He also announced that medical tents and health camps would be set up at 10 key locations across Surat to provide healthcare services to residents.
"In major areas where waterlogging occurred, medical teams will be available from morning until night. Anyone feeling unwell or experiencing any health issues can visit these camps for treatment," Sanghavi said.
The Deputy CM further added that the duration of water supply in flood-affected localities has been doubled over the coming days and that authorities are prioritising the restoration and cleaning of roads.
"We are making every effort to reach the roads of every residential society. First, the main roads will be cleared and cleaned, followed by the society roads with the help of the Municipal Corporation teams," he said.
Recalling his visit to several affected localities, Sanghavi praised the resilience and solidarity displayed by residents during the crisis.
"Today, I visited several areas and met with the residents. Seeing how the people of this city have supported one another over the last three days, I want to salute the citizens of Surat. Despite facing such a massive crisis and so many hardships, the 'Surat Spirit' has been incredible," he said.
Sanghavi said he witnessed unaffected residents voluntarily helping families whose homes had been damaged and traders joining hands to clean affected shops.
"I saw citizens who were unaffected themselves proactively reaching out to help those whose homes were in trouble. In commercial areas, if one person's shop was damaged, many others came forward to help clean it. This reflects the remarkable spirit of the people of Surat," he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister assured residents that the state government would provide all necessary financial and material assistance while continuing to extend moral support to those affected by the floods.
"The people of Surat have faced very difficult challenges, but we are all standing together as one family. All necessary financial and material aid will be provided, and we are also here to provide moral support. I once again salute the spirit of the citizens of Surat," Sanghavi said.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams carried out rescue operations and successfully evacuated 85 individuals, including 36 males, 27 females, and 22 children, at the Sriram Nagar Society, Surat, Gujarat.