Karnataka - Bidar   

Alert sounded in villages along the Manjara

Copious: Manjara river is in spate following heavy rain in Bidar.

BIDAR: Deputy Commissioner Harsh Gupta has said that an alert has been sounded in the villages on the banks of Manjara river, particularly in Bhalki and Aurad taluks, as the district is expected to receive more rain in the next 48 hours. The district has received heavy rain for the last four days.

Maharashtra is also expected to release water from the Terna Dam and Danegaon barrage into the river.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, after visiting the villages affected by floods, Mr. Gupta said that Maharashtra was expected to release 21,000 cusecs of water on Saturday evening. He said,

“I am in touch with the officials and they said they will release the water after the barrage fills to capacity,” he said. Mr. Gupta said that Bhalki and Aurad taluks had recorded above average rainfall in August and September.

As of September 13, Bhalki has recorded 280 mm of rain as against the average of 165 mm and Aurad has recorded 221 mm as against the average of 195 mm. The district has recorded a rainfall of 875 mm while the average rainfall is 886 mm.

Regarding crop damage owing to flooding of agricultural fields, Mr. Gupta said that in Bhalki taluk, crops in about 2,000 acres of land had been affected, and in Aurad taluk crops such as black gram, green gram, tur and soya beans in about 1,000 acres of land had been affected.

In Bhalki taluk, 15 villages had been affected by flooding and in Aurad taluk, 11 villages had been affected.

Mr. Gupta said that there had been no loss of lives in the last four days. There had been reports of cattle deaths in 10 places, he said. About 55 houses had collapsed completely in Bhalki and Aurad taluks.

To a question, Mr. Gupta said, “The loss in the district is estimated at Rs. 100 crore.”

He said, “A team comprising officials of departments of Agriculture, Horticulture and Revenue will assess the crop loss and submit a report.”

He added that the tahsildars concerned had been authorised to undertake distribution of compensation to affected persons.

Mr. Gupta said that officials of the Health Department had been asked to distribute halogen tablets in flooded areas as a precautionary measure against water contamination.

Officials of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation had been asked to ensure that buses took alternative routes, he said.

Superintendent of Police A. Subramanyeswara Rao and Chief Executive Officer of zilla panchayat Umesh Kusagal were present.

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

Stories in this Section

Alert sounded in villages along the Manjara
‘Release Rs. 25 crore to Bidar district’

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu