BAGALKOT: Months after floods devastated the most of North Karnataka region, the district administration of Bagalkot has decided to permanently relocate the residents of historical villages-Aihole and Pattadakal. The villagers have also given their consent, with each village having a population of 4,000.
Owing to incessant rains in Malaprabha river basin and surplus water discharge from Naviluteertha dam in August first week, Aihole and Pattadakal were flooded.
To an extent that these historical places were declared completely inundated in floodwater by UNESCO. The officials of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had banned the entry of tourists to these two spots.
The water in Malaprabha river was gushing rapidly resulting which the dwellings in Pattadakal and Aihole were flooded. There is a population of 4,000 each in both the villages, who are also in sync with the district administration’s suggestion.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Mahadev A Muragi, additional deputy commissioner of Bagalkot said, “A plan is being chalked out to shift the historical villages without affecting tourism. The talks are also underway regarding the purchase of private land or to use the available government land in the nearby places,” the ADC added.