MADIKERI: Nearly a week since landslides ravaged this village in Kodagu district, residents have not returned. And the fear is that they may not.
Once in two days, a few cattle owners trek through the steep paths (over 6 km) to feed their cattle and take a look at their houses. However, their hopes of resuming normal life have faded. One of the worst-affected, this ‘ghost village’ is now inhabited by only cattle and dogs. With carcasses spread across the area, a foul smell pervades.
Days after the disaster, 2nd Monnangeri village has seen no improvement in terms of weather or relief work (there is a 1st Monnangeri village nearby which has not been affected as much).
The landslide that began from one of the resorts at Nishane Motte hills has consumed the village completely, with red-mud-filled-water still flowing through the estates in fearful fury, leaving all the houses uninhabitable. Most of the 300 families are now accommodated in relief centres while very few stay with relatives.
With no estates or houses, roads or electricity, the residents wonder if their village could be made habitable again. The villagers, who make a trip to their houses every alternate day, trek through the forests and cross a makeshift bridge standing in place of the concrete one.
“The bridge is washed away and now there is no connectivity to the village. While younger people walked uphill and reached a safe spot, the older people were stranded. That is when we built this bridge on our own. Each day a few labourers hold the bridge up with wires on either side, which also serve as a handhold, and help villagers reach their houses to feed the cattle,” explains Poovaiah, one of the villagers.
“A massive landslide broke just a few feet away from our house and we fled from the village and reached Madikeri after trekking through forests,” recalls Savithri, who is now staying at a relief centre.
While her house is saved from the landslides, the earth here is cracking further, making this village unsuitable for human stay. “I am going back to my house to get school bags and books for my children as schools have started,” she adds.
Says Sunanda, another resident, “I will admit my son to a school in Kaikeri, near my mother’s house, as the school at 2nd Monnangeri has been destroyed.” “We don’t own an estate. A few years back my uncle handed over his areca nut estate to us and we had just begun to enjoy the fruits of our hard work. But the entire estate has now been destroyed,” she says.
The approach roads to the village have been destroyed, and on walking paths lie half-eaten (by hungry dogs), rotting carcasses of cattle that have died due to low body temperature.
Narayana, an old man who trekked through the muddy path wearing his newly owned shoes given to him at the relief centre (which had a broken sole at the end of his trek), carried cattle feed and fed the cattle. “I don’t know if my house is still there. I cannot reach the spot as the path is blocked by the landslide, which hasn’t been cleared yet.”
While the highway which is close to the village is undergoing repair work, there is no sign of any relief work at thevillage itself.
“Many news channels claim their reports to be exclusive. But not one of them has come to our village to report ground reality,” laments an estate labourer adding, “The estate labourers from Assam have been sent back. What are we to donow? The estate we worked in is totally wrecked.” Once appreciated for its abundant natural beauty, the village waits for reconstruction.
M’luru-B’luru trains cancelled
Mangaluru: Railways on Tuesday cancelled the trains being operated between Mangaluru and Bengaluru via Coimbatore, Erode and Thirupattur. After landslides at many locations between Donigal - Yedekumeri - Kadagara Valli - Shribagilu block of Sakleshpur - Subrahmanya Road Ghat Sections in Mysuru Division, the trains were diverted via Coimbatore a week ago. It was taking about 12 hours for the trains to reach the destination as they had to wait at every station for regular trains to pass on.
Rs 200 crore released for relief works
Bengaluru: To repair roads and take up relief works in the flood-hit districts, the state government on Tuesday released D200 crore. According to the government order, `85 crore was released for Kodagu, D20.88 crore for Dakshina Kannada, D14.54 crore for Udupi, D25.15 crore for Chikkamagaluru, D27.94 crore for Hassan, D11.51 crore for Uttara Kannada and D15 crore was released for Shivamogga. The government directed deputy commissioners to use the funds to take up relief works, including restoration of road connectivity.
landslides in Shiradi Ghat
Hassan: Landslide continues to create havoc in Shiradi ghat stretch. The stretch between Shiravase-Subramanya railway line in Shiradi is blocked by derbies in different places since last couple of days. According to railway officials, the landslides occurred on four different spots between Sakleshpur and Subramanya line on Sunday and Monday. The railway officials along with the technical team from Mysuru are camping in Sakleshpur to clear debris from the track. The work is getting hampered due to continuous rains in the area.