The government has taken up an emergency plan Involving Tk 30 crore to recoup agricultural losses caused by the current floods in the south-west region of the country.

A highly placed sources said this following an inter-ministerial meeting on disaster management yesterday at the Secretariat.

Chaired by State Minister for Relief and Disaster Management Talukder Abdul Khalek. the meetbig re\1ssewed the situation in the flood-hit region, Improving mainly upstream but deteriorating in Satkhira district.

A bridge at Chuknagar In Satkhira on the highway linking the district with the capital via Jessore was washed away by Hood waters on Sunday night, the meeting was told.

The authorities have instructed the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) to replace' the bridge.

The plan to recoup loss of Aman crops envisages cultivation oi wheat and maize and fresh cultivation of vegetables which were badly damaged by the floods.

Tile money would be disbursed through the Krlshi Bank, sources concerned said.

Tlie affected people would also get help to rebuild their damaged houses.

For this, a plan would be chalked out In cooperation with the NGOs, the meeting decided.

Tlie meeting was told that the floods affected an estimated 500,000 families or 2.5 million people and they also face the threat of diarrhoeal diseases. The departments concerned have been asked to take antl-epidemlc measures.

The Public Health Department has been Instructed to ensure availability of safe drinking water non an emergency basis by sinking tubewells.The UNICEF would provide baby food .

The deputy commissioners concerned would arrange Vulnerable Group feeding (VGF) cards for flood victims as per instruction of the Prime Minister to provide food aid to the needy till the next harvest.

The meeting also took up the Issues of water logging in the area in the wake of recession of floods and cutting of roads, culverts and embankments for release of walers. A meeting on the issues was also held yesterday at Jessore Cantonment with the GOC in the chair and attended by DCs and officials from Ihe RHD.

The External Relations Division of the Finance Ministry w’ould seek foreign assistance, particularly from the World Bank and the ADB to make an assessment of damage of roads, culverts and bridges.

The Water Development Board. RHD and Local Government Engineering Department would prepare a plan to solve the problem of logging, the inter- ministerial meeting decided.