BADAMI/BAGALKOTE: With the water from Naviluteertha Dam overflowing into Malaprabha River United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage site Pattadakalu and another heritage monument Aihole were inundated on Friday.
Pattadakalu and Aihole are distanced at 23 and 35km from Badami respectively. The two monuments were built during the Chalukya Kingdom in the seventh century. In the last decade this is the second time both monuments submerged under Malaprabha River.
“If waterlogging in Pattadakalu continues for another week, the longevity of the sandstone will be hampered. All the monuments of Chalukya dynasty, including UNESCO world heritage site Pattadakalu and Aihole, are built using sedimentary rocks. The monuments are withering away due to natural calamities. The Union government has to take precautions to preserve the 16-century-old monuments at the earliest,” explained Manjunath Sullali, who is an archaeology expert and assistant director of Department of Information and Public Relations.
Apart from these two monuments, more than 75 families in Pattadakalu and Aihole are trapped in floods.
“A team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) that launched the rescue operation in the afternoon paused its operation by evening as the water level of Malaprabha River kept rising.”
Speaking to The New Indian Express, DC Ramachandran said, “I have alerted the Indian Air Force to launch the rescue operation using choppers on Saturday morning. The situation has gone out of our hands in Pattadakalu, we are unable to supply food packets. More than 100 people are still trapped in Pattadakalu. We cautioned them six days ago but they ignored our words,” said stated Bagalkote DC.