Floodwater recedes but woes of Gulagundi village in Karnataka continue

People in fix as their houses are damaged and they were asked to leave relief centres.
Villagers residing in temporary huts in Gulagundi village of Gadag | Express
Villagers residing in temporary huts in Gulagundi village of Gadag | Express

GADAG : Residents of Gulagundi village near Hole Alur, who lost their houses to the recent flood, are staring at a bleak future. With water receding, they have been asked to leave the rehabilitation centre. Their houses are in a dilapidated state and many have collapsed, hence many villagers are taking shelter in temples. A few of them have built temporary huts using tarpaulins on the open ground.

Following flash floods in Malaprabha river and Bennihalla stream, the village was submerged. The residents here did not expect that the floodwater could enter the village as nearby villagers were affected by the 2009 floods, but not their village. As the water started flowing towards villages, the entire village was shifted to safer places by opening rehabilitation centres.

Once the floodwater receded, the authorities asked the villagers to vacate the rehabilitation centres. With no other option, they left the centres and shifted to the village. A rude shock was waiting for them. A few mud houses were in a dilapidated condition and most of them had collapsed. They have become shelterless as they were not in a position to reside there.

Till now, the villagers have not received houses under any government scheme. The village with a population of around 1,100 people needs the attention of authorities as a majority of houses here are not fit to live in. 

Dyamavva Madar, a villager said, “Our village was never hit by the flood, but this time overflowing Malaprabha river and Bennihalla stream wreaked havoc, disrupting normal life and damaging agricultural fields. Now, our houses are damaged and we have built temporary huts near temples and on open grounds.”

“No government official visited the village and we are in need of help. District officials are conducting a survey in other villages, but neglected our village. They have not even come to address our grievances,” another villager said. 

Gulagandi Panchyat Development officer Mahesh Allipur said, “We have surveyed and sent a report on Gulagundi village to the tahsildar. Soon, we will do the needful. People in other villages are shifting to new houses under housing projects but as Gulagundi was not in the list of flood-affected villages in 2009, so no houses were constructed here. I have brought this to the notice of officials.”

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The New Indian Express
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