MADIKERI: Once a self-sufficient village, Kikkarhalli in Somwarpet taluk struggles to cope with changes following floods and landslides. The villagers, most of whom are aged, are eagerly looking forward to the compensation from government to sustain their living.
Falling under Garvale village panchayat limits, Kikkarhalli was a self-sufficient village. The people were involved in agriculture activities throughout the year and grew vegetables in their backyard. Any guest visiting this village was sure to return with bags filled with home-grown vegetables and fruits. However, following the calamity in the district, the villagers are waiting for relief materials to be handed over to them by panchayat.
“We never had to visit the markets for rice or vegetables as we managed with what we grew in our own farms. Never had we bought rice for money. But now we have to wait in ration shops to get rice,” explains Ramappa, a villager who lost his house and farm in the disaster. Ramappa, who lost his son and wife recently, stayed in his serene house a week ago. However, a self-reliant man who does not want to stay at any relief centre is now living with his cattle in a cattle shed.
“I am old, yet farming gave me life. But my farm was swallowed by the landslide and all I had sowed was destroyed. My lifeline for survival has been cut,” says Ganapathi, aged villager, adding, “I get `600 as old-age pension and my wife and I have to survive with this money.”
Bojamma (78 ) says it is a miracle she is alive. “An uprooted tree fell over me, yet I survived. However, what good is this life when I have lost all that I owned?”
Toll hits 22 in Kodagu
Madikeri: After five days of search operat-ions, one Gilbert Mendoza’s body was traced at Katakeri landslide, increasing the death toll in Kodagu natural calamity to 22. Decomposed body of Gilbert was recovered.
Mild tremors recorded in Kodagu
Madikeri: With Seismograph installed in Kodagu’s Navodya School, senior scientist Raghavan from National Geophysical Research Institute confirmed that minor tremors beneath the earth have been recorded in the newly installed equipment for the past three days. While he confirmed that the tremor is negligible and would not cause any damage, he said: “These tremors will help identify the fault lines.” The equipment, the second of its kind in Karnataka, has been imported from the US and has been installed in a place where man-made noise is feeble. “Seismograph is very sensitive to sound and has to be placed in a secure place. Hence it is placed inside the lab of a school,” he confirmed. He said NGRI scientists will visit Kodagu to study the landslides. “We have installed the seismograph as people heard sounds from underground before landslides took place. We wanted to check if there was tremor activity under the earth,” he said.
CM’s relief fund gets D36 crore
The Chief minister’s natural clarity relief fund has received donations of D36 crore as on Wednesday for rehabilitation of rain-ravaged districts of Karnataka, including Kodagu. The state has sought relief of D2,000 crore from the Centre. The government opened up options for online transfer on August 20. The total donations contributed to the CM’s relief in the form of DDs and cheques stands at D24.33 crore while D 11.68 crore has been donated online including via Paytm. Donations are still being accepted via online and offline modes for rehabilitation and relief work in flood affected districts. Donations can be made online. Chief ministers natural calamity fund 2018. Bank: SBI. A/C Number:- 37887098605. IFSC code: SBIN0040277. MICR Number: 560002419
No govt PU colleges damaged
Bengaluru: The recent floods in Kodagu seem to have spared all government PU colleges. Though the PU department received one complaint about a crack in the wall of a college building in Kodlipet taluk, it later turned out that the damage was due to tremors. According to the department, of the 66 PU colleges, 14 are government and the rest are aided and unaided. The department is taking all measures to accommodate private college students at nearby government colleges.
Tourism dept releasing D25 cr
Madikeri: Kodagu District Minister Sa Ra Mahesh on Wednesday announced D25 crore from Tourism Department for rehabilitation of flood victims in Kodagu. He said, “Preliminary compensation of D3,800 each for 1,790 distressed families has been given. The compensation of D5 lakh each to 14 families has been given. Compensation for 2 families will be given soon. Two persons are still missing and search operation is continued,” Sa Ra Mahesh said.