Residents worried over rising water levels

Heavy downpour in the district for the past one week has resulted in the brimming of Suvaranavathi and Chikkahole reservoirs and the excess water has been released into Suvarnavathy river.

The water flows via the canal that connects Hongalawadi and Siddaiahanapura. This has put the villagers into a lot of inconvenience as it is inevitable for them to visit
Siddaiahanapura to buy essential goods. Neither the district administration nor the elected representatives have taken any initiative to construct a bridge over the canal. A proposal for the construction of a bridge at a cost of  ` 1.5 cr submitted to the government is biting dust.

The worst affected are the students and dairy farmers of Hongalawadi who have to walk to Siddaiahanapura to attend the higher primary school and supply milk to the dairy.

More than 130 families are residing in Hongalawadi for more than 45 years and majority of them belong to SC/ST communities. But basic amenities are a distant dream for them.

Adding to the woes, several cattle have been washed away in the floods. The people are not able to cross the canal when the water level rises, and are forced to wait till water level recedes.

The negligence of the officials of the district administration and the elected representatives on visiting the spot has irked the people. As the rains are continuing unabated at the catchment areas of the reservoirs, the inflow has increased and more than 5,000 cusecs of water is released to the canal.

Though the problem has been persisting since the last two months,  the district administration has turned a blind eye towards their issue and no official has visited the spot till now, lament the villagers.