Even a month after the deluge, normality has not returned in the lives of the displaced families in Talamari and Tungabhadra villages on the banks of Tungabhadra river near Raichur.
Except for the supply of foodgrains and groceries, the district administration has not done much for the displaced families at a temporary shed near Talamari village. Drinking water is being supplied occasionally forcing the displaced people to consume unsafe water from the nearby canal.
Besides, not being able to bear the heat generated by the tin sheets of which the sheds are made, several families have taken shelter under a tree or just outside the shed. The displaced families are facing a lot of hardship in the absence of basic amenities in the temporary shelter provided to them.
Children were forced to stop going to school as a result of the floods. Now several weeks after the disaster struck north Karnataka, children of Talamari village have not started going to school. Neither has the Government supplied them with textbooks and uniforms.
The Government has decided to relocate Talamari. But the displaced families are likely to continue their life in the temporary shed itself for an indefinite period as the district administration has not yet been able to zero in on the place to which the village has to be shifted. According to Deputy Commissioner Adoni Syed Saleem, it has been decided to shift the entire village. But the village residents are not willing to sell their land required for relocating the village.
Although the Government paid compensation to residents whose houses had collapsed, there is a lot of displeasure about the amount given as compensation.
Savaremma and Laxmi, who have taken shelter at the shed, complained that the payment of compensation was uneven as some displaced families, whose houses were partially collapsed, received Rs. 37,000 while others have received less than Rs. 7,000 even though their houses had collapsed completely. Some affected persons allege that there has been disparity in the compensation paid to affected families, particularly those who belonged to the Scheduled Castes, whose huts were washed away in the floods.
Another major problem that the displaced families are facing is that of unemployment. Unable to wait indefinitely for the Government to provide employment, many people, including women, have started migrating to towns and cities in search of jobs so that they can start earning their livelihood.
Durgappa, a father of four sons and two daughters, whose hut was washed away in the deluge, said that the affected villagers, including small farmers, agricultural labourers and youngsters, have been sitting idle without any work. They are ready to engage themselves in some work if the Government comes forward to offer some employment. But so far no government department has taken any initiative in this regard.
The zilla panchayat is responsible to provide employment to the needy by implementing the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGREGA). During the recent visit of the Central team to Talmari, it suggested the officials concerned to start the MGREGA in the village to provide employment to the displaced families.
But according to Sameer Sukla, Chief Executive Officer of the zilla panchayat, the zilla panchayat was ready to implement the MGREGA in the village but people were not willing to take up work under the scheme.
In reply to a query in this regard, Deputy Commissioner Adoni Syed Saleem told The Hindu on Wednesday that he would convene a meeting of officials concerned at the zilla panchayat for immediate implementation of the scheme.
