The Hindu : Karnataka News : Flood-hit people pour their woes before SHRC members

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Friday, Dec 21, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Flood-hit people pour their woes before SHRC members

Staff Correspondent

Two former MLAs accuse each other of politicising relief measures

Tale of woes: Flood-affected people of Kurlageri village in Nargund taluk of Gadag district airing their grievances before members of the State Human Rights Commission who visited their village on Thursday.

KURLAGERI (GADAG): A two-member team from the State Human Rights Commission visited some of the flood-affected villages in Gadag on Thursday.

A large number of affected people of Kurlageri village in Nargund taluk, Menasigi, Gadagoli, Holemannur, Amaragol, Basarakod, Kuruvinakoppa and Hole Alur villages in Ron taluk poured their woes before R.H. Raddy and B. Parthasarathi, members of SHRC.

The members of SHRC found the villagers, who had lost their houses in the floods in September, living in the sheds built by the district administration.

Their main complaints were that irregularities in fixing compensation for the loss of houses and official apathy. After initial supply of food through gruel centres, blankets and clothes to them, the officials did not bother to inquire about the problems faced by them, they alleged.

Addressing presspersons, some people from Kurlageri expressed their disappointment over the manner in which compensation had been fixed for house collapse. Bhimappa V. Pujar, Dyamavva Sabnis, Shantavva Talawar, Honakereppa Hadapada, Shivappa Yavagal vented their ire against the officials who had fixed “inadequate” compensation for house collapse.

The team members, who were accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Mohsin and Assistant Commissioner Shikha, listened to the grievances of the people.

At Kurlageri and Menasigi, the vehicles of SHRC team members and others were blocked by people who wanted their grievances to be heard. At Menasigi village, people blocked the road. They relented only when one of the SHRC member told them that they were yet to visit the other flood-affected places and promised that their problems would be brought to the notice of the Governor.

While the affected people tried to air grievances before the SHRC members, “local politics” came to the fore as two former MLAs accused each other of politicising relief and rehabilitation programmes.

Former MLA of Ron G.S. Patil and former MLA of Nargund C.C. Patil had an altercation in front of SHRC members at Menasigi village.

Addressing presspersons at Ron, Mr. Raddy and Mr. Parathasarathi said that they would go through the report submitted by the Deputy Commissioner first and then compare it with their findings during their visit. “Based on it we will submit our report to the Governor with our recommendations,” they said.

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