Business takes a backseat in rain-hit areas

Business has taken a backseat in both Kodagu and Mysuru districts as everybody is doing their mite to mitigate the sufferings of the rain-affected people of Kodagu.

The management of the Hotel Mayura Valley View in Madikeri has temporarily accommodated the family members of its employees in its dormitory for the past couple of days.

Akbar, whose daughter Parveen and son-in-law Deepak are staffers in Mayura, thanked managing director Kumar Pushkar and manager G R Kiran for allowing them to take shelter in the facility.

Akbar said that nearly 60 houses in Indira Nagar, Chamundeshwari Nagar and Jyothi Nagar in the locality collapsed and nearly 500 houses have got submerged. “Even the inundated houses are on the verge of collapse as they will become weak after soaking in water. We are left with no belongings and cash. Some of the victims have been sent to ‘ganji kendras’. The management of Mayura has been magnanimous in accommodating us. Some relief materials have been given to us through some agencies so we are surviving. We are yet to recover from the trauma,” he said.

Pundalik, who has retired as a senior waiter with Mayura, has also been accommodated. Pundalik said his son is immobile and hence he has been sheltered in a homestay. “My wife is also staying with my son because he needs help for all his activities. We could gather only a few clothes as our house in Chamundeshwari Nagar was inundated. We are now at the mercy of nature now,” he said.

Even non-resident Indians have chipped in to help the rain-affected people. Nataraj Kote, a hotelier in the US, has offered $1,000 and has invited his fellow members of North America Vishwa Kannada Association (Navika) to contribute.

Jagath Kalamanda of KK Groups Residency of Virajpet has offered to accommodate the victims in his service apartments; D Devaraj, a resident of Mysuru, who owns Dubare View Valley Resort at Nanjarayapatna; Rabitha of O2 Estate Stay of Navlathoklu; Dolphin’s Garden Restaurant of Kushalnagar; Santhosh of Hotel Maharaja in Kushalnagar; and even a few women have offered shelter and food for the victims.

The names of the women have been withheld for security concerns.