The recurring overflow of the two rivers has frustrated residents who question the government's inability to provide a permanent solution.
Published Aug 06, 2024 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 06, 2024 | 11:13 AM
Floods in Karnataka
Incessant rains in the Western Ghats and tributaries of Krishna River have taken away the peace of over six thousand families as hundreds of villages alongside Ghataprabha, Malaprabha and other rivers have been hit by severe floods.
Belagavi and Bagalkot district administrations have opened 56 relief centres, accommodating over 6,000 families from the flood-affected areas.
At least 50 villages in Belagavi and over 203 villages in Bagalkot have been hit by the severe flood due to an overflow of the Krishna, Ghataprabha and Malaprabha rivers. While the severity is less in the Malaprabha River basin, the villages located near the Ghataprabha River in Bagalkot and Belagavi are badly affected due to the overflow of rivers, resulting in a revenue loss of about ₹1,000 crore.
Meanwhile, people are upset over the government not being able to fix the flooding issues and clear encroachments along the river encroachment permanently, especially in the Ghataprabha River region in Bagalkot and Malaprabha River in Belagavi and Gadag districts, as it has turned out to be an annual affair for the people in the vulnerable villages facing floods even during moderate monsoons.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the flood-affected areas and took stock of the relief work underway in Belagavi on Monday, 5 August. He also sought people’s cooperation to permanently fix the flood issues, especially relocation and rehabilitation of people in vulnerable villages.
In a stark contrast to last year’s severe drought, Bagalkot and Belagavi districts are experiencing excessive rainfall this year, with a remarkable 137 and 62 percent surplus respectively, flooding around 250 villages.
Bagalkot has reported 316.01mm rain against the traditional rainfall of 229.05 mm, which is 137 percent excess rain. A total of 203 villages have been identified as flood affected areas, where 29 are fully hit and 174 are partially affected.
According to the Bagalkot District Administration: “A total of 22 relief centres have been opened accommodating 577 families. Mudhol remains the worst affected taluka as 13 relief centres have been opened, residing 402 families. As many as seven relief centres opened in Rabkavi-Banhatti taluka, with 951 families. One relief centre has been set-up in Bilagi taluka, where 2 families have been accommodated. A total of 2,499 people are taking shelter in the relief centres in the Bagalkot district.”
“As many as 15,455 hectares of agriculture and 417.9 hectares of horticulture crops have been damaged. Three people have died since the beginning of the monsoon in the district. Around 2,000 livestock has been relocated to safer places,” detailed the district administration.
#Karnataka: CM @siddaramaiah assures of taking up crop loss relief works and fixing the damaged roads after the rain recedes.
CM Siddaramaiah told reporters: “Belagavi district has received 62 percent excess rain. The district has recorded 565 mm of rainfall since 1 June. As… pic.twitter.com/Ni9toXmaif
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) August 5, 2024
Similarly, at least 50 villages have been hit by the floods in the last one week in Belagavi. “As many as 34 relief centres have been set-up in the flood hit areas, where 4,905 families have been accommodated. Athani taluka, which is on the bank of Krishna River, has been severely hit. Over 2,717 families have been placed across 11 relief centres in Athani taluka. Likewise, 955 families in 10 relief centres in Mudalgi, 724 families in three relief centres in Gokak, 347 families in four centres in Kagwad, 125 families have been accommodated in four relief centres in Rayabag, 30 families in Chikkodi and seven families in Nipani taluka have been placed in the relief centres,” elaborated the district administration officials.
In Belagavi, as many as 13,023 people have been accommodated in the relief centres. Among them 5,732 are men, 4,825 are women and 2,448 are children. Additionally, 5,990 people from the affected areas have moved to their relatives’ houses.
Sugarcane, jowar, maize, cotton, green gram, toor dal, ground nut and sunflower are some of the major crops that have been damaged due to flooding in Bagalkot and Belagavi districts.
The recurring overflow of the Ghataprabha and Malaprabha Rivers, which inundates several villages along their banks with floodwaters, has frustrated residents who are irked by the state government’s inability to provide a permanent solution.
Pointing to frequent floods, the people are dismayed over the state government not clearing the encroachment in both the rivers and delay in relocating and rehabilitating people from vulnerable villages.
Sadashiva K, resident of flood affected Malali village in Mudhol taluka, told South First: “Around 50 houses have been flooded in our village. This has become an annual affair for our village, whenever the Ghataprabha River is in full spate, our village gets affected. It is not just houses but thousands of hectares of crops also get damaged. There has been a demand to relocate and rehabilitate our village for the past decade but the government is not heeding to our concerns. There is a proposal before the government to relocate and rehabilitate Malali, Mirji, Gulgajambgi and a few other villages.”
Lamenting about it, he asked, “But no concrete development has happened. Whenever there is a flood, we will be placed at a relief centre and sent to home after water levels are reduced. Neither the government nor the district administration serious about addressing these issues. How long should people and farmers continue to suffer over their lethargic attitude towards addressing our concerns?”
He was also unhappy with the arrangements made in the relief centres. “The arrangements are so poor in relief centres that people prefer to move to their relatives’ houses instead of taking shelter in these centres. Most of the people in my village are not staying in the relief centres,” said a disappointed Sadashiva.
Soragavi’s Mahesh Gouda Patil told South First: “Around 10 to 15 houses in Soragavi village are affected whenever the Ghataprabha River is overflowing. The severity is less this year. However, the crop damage is unbearable as we have invested hundreds of thousands of rupees this season, hoping for a good monsoon coupled with bumper yield. If the government has to free us from the worries of floods every year, then it has to clear the encroachment or widen the shrinking Ghataprabha River and also increase the levels of bridges as well. It should also relocate and rehabilitate the affected villages at the earliest possible.”
The villagers are planning to stage a protest against the government over the delay in relocation and rehabilitation works at Mudhol on 7 August. “In reality, the ministers and district administration heed to our issues only during floods and remaining days they just disappear instead of seriously pursuing these concerns.”
This problem is not just confined to Bagalkot district but also persists in the Belagavi district as well. Ramadurga and Gokak are the villages affected due to overflow of Malaprabha and Ghataprabha Rivers, respectively.
Social Activist Maruti Chandaragi told South First: “After continuous fights, the government cleared the encroachment in Malaprabha River in Ramdurg to certain extent in 1980s and 1990s. However, the encroachment clearance works were not effective, resulting in the problems haunting the local people till date. There are no serious efforts either from the local elected members nor the government in addressing these issues. The government had released funds to clear encroachment in Malaprabha River, where it was cleared for mere 1km and discontinued the works further.”
Chandaragi adds, “There is a similar situation in parts of Ghataprabha River as well. The state government has to work towards clearing the encroachment of these rivers in order to distance people dwelling alongside these rivers from the fear of floods every year.”
While inspecting the flood affected areas in Belagavi, CM Siddaramaiah sought people’s cooperation to take up relocation and rehabilitation of the vulnerable villages, which are prone to floods. The Chief Minister visited the flood hit areas in Belagavi district. He also took stock of the flood situation and arrangements made for the flood relief works in the district.
#Karnataka: CM @siddaramaiah takes stock of the situation and relief works in the flood-hit areas in the Ghataprabha River region in #Belagavi.
The Chief Minister took stock of the relief works carried out in Gokak town. He also interacted with the people residing in the relief… pic.twitter.com/Hp4QVZVc0c
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) August 5, 2024
He visited a couple of relief centres including one located in the Government Municipal College in Gokak town, interacted with the affected people and assured them of taking up relief work at a quick pace.
Responding to the reports of delay in relocation and rehabilitation of vulnerable villages, CM Siddaramaiah told reporters in Belagavi: ““We will seriously think about giving permanent solutions for rehabilitation. We also seek cooperation from the people. If they don’t cooperate, it is not easy to take up rehabilitation work. In some places, people are not ready to give-up lands to permanently relocate and rehabilitate.”
Reiterating that the government will think about addressing such issues permanently, he pointed out, “The relief grants are provided under SDRF and NDRF norms. As per the NDRF norms, we have to provide ₹6,500 for partially damaged houses. But we are providing ₹50,000 for the affected people. We are paying an additional ₹43,000. Earlier, the damaged houses used to be categorised. We have removed it and given the same sum to all the partially damaged houses.”
“We will take up the relief works pertaining to crop loss and damage of roads once the rain takes a break. If we had financial issues, then how are we taking up the relief works,” Siddaramaiah blamed the BJP for criticising the state’s finances.
(Edited by Neena)
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