Suresh Bhat
Chief Minister visited the village one year ago
His promise of relocation not yet kept
MUDHOL (BAGALKOT DISTRICT): It was during the end of August last year, the people of Chenal on the right bank of the Ghataprabha were ecstatic when Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy visited the village.
They narrated their woes, especially floods that have become an annual feature, and sought a permanent solution. The Chief Minister promised them to relocate them. A year has passed and nothing has changed.
“Promises were not new to us. However, we believed the latest one, as it came from the Chief Minister. Again we are caught amid water,” said Shankarappa Koujalagi, a resident of Chenal, whose is one of the 55 houses inundated.
Of course, there is no danger to their life because the dwelling is in an elevated place. However, the approach road has been inundated for the past four days. A mechanised has been pressed into service by the administration.
“We are not able to send our children to school that is located in mainland almost entire week. They miss classes for a month every year,” said Yamanavva Badiger. In fact, around 200 families were relocated 3 km away from the village in 1983. But they were not given housing grants.
It is not only the story of Chenal but also of many other habitations such as Nandagaum, Dhavaleshwar, Mirji and Malali along the Ghataprabha.
Last year, the State Government took policy decision to relocate flood prone villages along all rivers. However, it is yet to be implemented, said Shankar Godi, a middle aged resident.
Meanwhile, flood situation remained grim all along the banks of the river. While Yadwad Bridge near here remained submerged, the Chinchkandi Bridge on Mudhol-Bagalkot State highway is facing threat of submergence.
The water has already touched the spans of the bridge.