Karnataka - Madikeri   

Rain: remote villages in Kodagu worst affected

Madikeri: Monsoon has wreaked havoc on Kodagu this year. Rural areas of the district have been the worst-affected. Many villages wear a primitive look, while some remain cut-off from the mainstream.

Hanging bridges are the only means for people to cross over and take the rarely available transport services. Bhagamandala, a pilgrim town in the district, has remained cut off from other parts of the district for several days owing to rain. The Lakshmanateerta river has been in spate for more than three weeks now.

Residents of Balele, Nittur and surrounding areas have been the worst-hit. They are unable to take up paddy cultivation, as the fields are heavily inundated. A family living on one side of Bengur village, near Cherambane, could not cross over to perform the obsequies of a relative as the Cauvery had cut the village into two.

The travails of the people living in remote villages seem unending.

Three years ago, in Mukkodlu, five men fell into the Mukkodlu river when they were crossing it. Fortunately, all of them survived. Nadnalli village in the Bettadahalli gram panchayat, serves as another example of unending despondency of the people. Crops here have been destroyed not just by rain, but also by marauding elephants.

Residents of these villages have forced themselves to keep enough stock of foodgrains for the monsoon. They do not venture out as crossing swollen rivers is very risky. “No one comes here to marry our daughters because they do not want to take any chance in the monsoon”, residents of Nadnalli say. Their crops have been destroyed owing to rainfall. They are unable to visit the nearby towns to buy essential things.

Many people in these villages are not even aware of the mechanisms of grievance redressal.

Although Madikeri does receive substantial rainfall, it still suffers shortage of drinking water. Battered roads, snapped telephone and electric lines have caused a great worry to the residents.

Torrential downpour has hindered agriculture operations.

Kodagu has suffered a loss of Rs. 54 crore so far. The Government has released Rs. 6.5 crore towards relief work.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Rain: remote villages in Kodagu worst affected
‘Polinkana’ festival in Bhagamandala

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu