Silvester D’Souza
Daijiworld Media Network – Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Jul 5: Floods which occurred in the taluk on Wednesday continued unabated on Thursday July 4. The district unit of Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha has expressed anger at the apathy of the taluk and district level officials in not visiting the affected areas and failing to provide relief to the people.

A large tract of agricultural land, besides houses and other places were covered by water due to heavy rain received at the places located up in the Western Ghats on Monday and Tuesday. Other than the village accountants, no other officials were visible at the marooned villages on Thursday.

President of Udupi district unit of the Sangha visted Nagappayya Holebagilu within Maravanthe gram panchayat and Salbuda within Navunda gram panchayat in the taluk, which are inundated and hence agricultural land has been rendered useless for raising crops. He travelled to these places on a boat, and lent an ear to the problems of the affected people.

Deepak Kumar Shetty noted that none of the people’s representatives have cared to provide compensation to the farmers who have been losing their precious paddy crops since over three decades to floods every year. He criticized the   officials and people’s representatives for evincing keen interest in stacking boulders at the seashore against sea erosion, but turning a blind eye to the problems of farmers. He said that the work of heaping boulders in the seashore involves crores of rupees, and that the concerned show interest in that work as they are able to pocket a hefty amount.

Many who had gathered there said that they are finding dearth of space for tethering the cattle after bringing them out of the cattle sheds during floods. They demanded temporary cow shelters during the rainy season so that the cattle get a secure place at night.

Shetty said that past experiences have stood testimony to the fact that the farmers get neglected in Udupi district. He demanded the district deputy commissioner to visit flood-affected areas within a week and announce suitable compensation, failing which the Raita Sangha will consider that the government and district administration are in deep slumber. He warned that the Raita Sangha will hold a protest with the support of thousands of farmers in front of the taluk office against the apathy and failure of the government and officials.