Delay mars rehabilitation works in Abhyatmangala

The work on providing sites for flood victims is being carried out at a snail's pace in Abhyatmangala village.

Various regions in the district including Siddapura and Nelyahudikeri were affected by floods in River Cauvery, in 2019.

More than 100 houses in Nelyahudikeri collapsed, making people houseless. The people took shelter in the relief centre set up at the Government Primary School in Nelyahudikeri.

After the district administration assured them of providing eight acres of land in Abhyatmangala village, the victims evacuated the relief centre. The encroachments in the earmarked land were cleared.

However, the residents have not been provided with the site even after a year.

The site which was identified to build houses for flood victims did not have direct road connectivity and the people had to use an alternative road which passes through a plantation belonging to a company.

The representatives of the company initially posed objection to the usage of the road by flood victims. After the officials including the deputy commissioner discussed with the officials, the company agreed to give permission to use the road.

The work on clearing the trees is taking too much time. The forest department had sought approval from the government to fell the trees in the land. Though the permission has been obtained, the trees cannot be cleared without the process of tender. The work is hit by delay.

A majority of the flood victims have been dwelling in the huts built by them on the banks of the river. A few of them have rented houses, in the hope of getting sites of their own.

Some of those who have been living in the rented houses have not been provided with the rent allowance of Rs 5,000 so far while some others have received rent allowance for only five months.

The district administration should initiate measures to ensure the victims get rent allowance from the government, they said.

Somwarpet Tahsildar Govindaraju said that the sites will be allotted soon after felling the trees on the site.

Madikeri DCF Prabhakaran said that tenders will be invited for felling trees. All trees on the sites will not be felled. Only necessary ones will be cleared.

Santrastara Horata Samiti convener P R Bharat said that the flood victims who have lost their houses, have not been provided with sites so far and they are leading lives in huts.

The district administration should allow the victims to construct sheds at the earmarked site, he added.