Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru: Sep 27: The lives of 11 families living in Matadagudde site area in Muloor village, continue to be in doldrums, 18 months after the hillock where they lived caved in. The government had disbursed temporary relief of Rs 10,000 each to 70 families which were advised to shift their residences, and the 11 families who lost their houses. During his visit, deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district, Dr K V Rajendra, had promised to provide houses on rent to the distressed families and also sites. However, this promise was not kept.
Experts from the geology department of NITK Surathkal, had visited the spot, and conducted geological background study of the area. The team had come to the conclusion that Matadagudde area was not fit for human inhabitancy. It had classified the area into yellow and red zones, duly observing that both these areas were not fit for human residence.
For the affected people, government land was identified at Bondantila but it encountered opposition from Neermarga panchayat. Therefore, this plan was shelved. So far no decision seems to have been taken about the land at Narlapadavu within Ganjimath panchayat identified by the revenue department. Some of the families which had shifted out of Matadagudde after the landslide have shifted back to Matadagudde.
Ismail, Ramlat, Atiq and Hamid Ismail belonging to distressed families said that they were finding it hard to live elsewhere as they had no work and it was beyond their reach to pay rent. "The government did not pay rent as promised. At the time of the tragedy, electric poles were uprooted and power supply was severed. But the 11 families continue to receive electriicty bills," they said. Ismail said he has so far received electricity bills of Rs 4,848. He stated that power continues to be supplied to some houses located around his house and that the families had repeatedly approached the district administration, legislator, local members etc but their grievances have not been addressed so far.