Karnataka   

People not willing to move out of village

Hunnargi (Belgaum District): Despite the announcement made by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa that permanent houses would be provided to all families of this flood-prone village in Chikkodi taluk after shifting them to a safer place, the villagers are unwilling to accept the offer.

“No, we cannot live in one-room Ashraya houses,” the villagers told The Hindu here on Sunday.

Residents, Rajendra Patil, Basangouda Peergonda Patil and Rajendra Annappa Bamne, said though the villagers had been facing floods, they were unwilling to move out from their ancestral houses for several reasons.

First, there is no adequate land available in or close to the village for relocation. Thus, the Government will have to acquire lands away from the village, which would take the farmers away from their agricultural lands. Also, the farmers cannot live in one-room houses given their family size. A proper place is required for their cattle and other domestic animals, including poultry, they said.

Moreover, of the nearly 500 houses in the village, only about 50 houses adjacent to the western bank of the Krishna river are affected by floods.

As floods are a temporary phenomenon, the Government could either help relocate these 50 houses at a higher level or construct an alternative road so that they are not cut-off from the main village during floods.

Kashibai Basagouda Patil, whose house was also in flood waters up to the knee level for about four-five days since the Krishna overflowed on August 9, said the water level receded about three days ago. But, farmers have lost their standing crops such as soya, paddy, sugarcane, green gram and chilli, expect the Government to disburse compensation at the earliest. The Government should also compensate the damage caused to their houses.

Dr. Rajendra Patil said Hunnargi was among the 36 villages in Belgaum district considered for shifting following devastating floods in 2006. But nothing happened except for increasing the height of a small stretch of road near the Sri Lakshminarayan temple in the village.

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