Mangaluru district-in-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has ordered officials to expedite compensation for those impacted by recent natural disasters. At the district disaster management review meeting held at Praja Soudha on Wednesday, the minister expressed concern over delayed disbursals and gaps in precautionary steps.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Santhosh Kumar reported that 677 of 705 partially damaged homes received compensation. However, Puttur taluk lagged behind, with only 101 of 125 affected households aided. The tahsildar cited KYC issues, prompting the minister to direct immediate resolution.
The region reported 82 fully damaged houses and identified 1,992 vulnerable homes. 181 unsafe footbridges have been barricaded with warning signs. Rao instructed strict enforcement against violators and called for swift action on pending relief.
The district has seen five fatalities—one in Moodbidri and four in Ullal. Crop damage estimates stand at 2.4 hectares (agriculture) and 4.9 hectares (horticulture).
Addressing frequent power outages in Puttur and Sullia, Rao questioned MESCOM and urged them to wrap up pre-monsoon maintenance. To curb landslides in Malnad and coastal areas, ₹100 crore has been sanctioned, with 36 projects worth ₹27 crore cleared.
Deputy Commissioner MP Mullai Muhilan noted that 22 bridges, 240.7 km of rural roads, and 4.2 km of state highways were damaged—worst hit being the Puttur-Uppinangady highway. Rao pushed for long-term solutions, questioning whether areas hit last year received sustained attention.
Regarding the Kettikal landslip, the DC said earlier restoration helped this year. But NHAI’s poor planning, blamed on land acquisition delays, was criticized. Rao instructed NHAI to implement urgent corrections, including safety signage and police patrols.
A viral video showing bikers crossing a flooded stream in Belthangady triggered official backlash. The DC ordered legal action and Rao called for strict penalties to discourage reckless acts.
On the Panemangluru-Bantwal bridge, Rao ordered that status quo be maintained, restricting heavy vehicles until expert approval. The DC warned local bodies against unauthorized decisions.
Officials present included City Police Commissioner Sudheer Reddy CH, SP Arun K, ZP CEO Anandh K, and DCF Anthony Mariyappa.
Read Also: