Mutt's chappatis yet to reach relief camps in Bijapur dist

Even as the authorities have been working overtime, the number of persons to be fed daily exceeds supply and complaints continue to pour in.

According to officials, Siddaganga Mutt of Tumkur has despatched 50,000 chappatis to the district administration for distribution among the hungry of the region, "but not even one chappati has reached any taluk".

It is a pathetic scene ata gruel camp in Donur village in Basavana Bagewadi taluk, where 2,000 people whose houses have either collapsed or damaged, have been sheltered.

According to eyewitnesses, villagers who are used to the staple "Jowar Roti" are being given rice gruel, that too in limited quantities.

"The villagers are pleading with us to give them kerosene so that they can cook rotis in the camp but till we get the nod from the authorities we cannot do so", says a volunteer at the camp on condition of anonymity.

While the district administration claims to have set op 275 relief camps in the district comprising five taluks of Bijapur, Basavana Bagewadi, Muddebihar, Sindgi and Indi, "not even 100 camps have been opened", volunteers said. "Nearly 40-50 villages in Bijapur district have been affected because of heavy rains, which has claimed 32 lives," official sources said.

The situation is no better in Bagalkot, another district worst hit by the rains, where people in several villages have been migrating to other places in search of livelihood.