Kodagu: The tiny District of our State, Kodagu has incurred huge loss of property and lives following landslide and heavy rains in 2018 to 2020.
In the year 2018, the heavy rains caused a lot of damage to the farming community of the District. Many farmers lost properties and houses to the rains and landslides. The expert committee appointed by State Government to ascertain the reason for the landslides submitted its report to the Government pointing out at that unscientific construction at hillocks caused landslides. But in many parts there was no construction that took place but there were landslides.
Since last two years the District did not incur much loss due to landslides. An expert committee also conducted a press conference and predicted that no landslide would take place in this rainy season. But the District Administration has made all the arrangements to tackle any kind of landslide and flood situations during rainy season.
The District Administration has identified 44 landslide prone and 43 flood prone areas in the District. The officials identified 100 places of natural calamity prone areas in 10 Hobbalis of five taluks which has made people live under fear. During 2018, which was the first disaster in recent decades made more than thousand people home less, many roads, and bridges collapsed, while property loss has been estimated at more than Rs. 500 Crore. The State Government promised to construct houses to all the victims but yet to fulfil its promise.
Ahead of monsoon people in low lying areas are living with fear. Though District receives heavy rainfall during rainy season, the possible landslide has increased fears. Last week the Deputy Commissioner Dr. B. C. Satish conducted all officers meeting , instructed to be full alert to face any kind of situation that may arise by rains. During 2018 thousands of people took shelter in care centres opened in many areas. The District Administration has planned to issue notices to the areas prone to landslides and flood before start of rainy season. DC Dr. B. C. Satish told that the NDRF team would arrive at District next week. He said separate task force teams will be formed in all the five Taluks of the District under District level task force team and 24×7 help line will also be opened.
Hundreds of rain victims waiting to get house sites but officials have failed to provide them sites. In Abyat Mangala Village officials have identified house sites for more than 70 victims of in Nelli Hudikeri Gram Panchayat but yet to distribute. House construction for victims in K. Nidugane Gram Panchayat limits still is going on in snail’s pace.
