Apathy! Flood victims demand houses

Hubballi: Flood victims are staging protests in Belagavi as  there is no sign yet of the temporary sheds promised to them by deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi on his last visit to them.

The protesting people point out that they are spending sleepless nights ever since they vacated the relief camps in schools as their houses have collapsed or were partially damaged in the deluge last month..

Many protested in Manjari village in Chikkodi taluk too, accusing  the officials of not taking any measures to build the temporary sheds promised to them by rural development and panchayat raj minister, K S Eshwarappa on his visit to them .

“Over 500  houses collapsed in our village. We have been living in fear of another flood due to the rising Krishna river. The officials should build temporary sheds as soon as possible,” said a flood victim, Laxman Mayannavar of Manjari village.

Their fears are not unfounded as the inflow of water into the Almatti dam increased to 1,71,740 cusecs on Monday with all rivers  in Belagavi and Bagalkot districts in spate due to heavy rainfall in Maharashtra.

Kudala Sangam, an important pilgrimage centre in Bagalkot district, is surrounded by water for the second time in a month.

The flood threat has increased in Mudalagi and Gokak taluks too due to release of 31,000 cusecs of water from Hidkal dam built across the Ghataprabha river in Hukkeri taluk and many villages remain cut-off as a bridge near Shivayogi Mandir in Badami tauk has gone under water.