Landslide: PIL seeks relief, rehabilitation from govt

The high court on Wednesday ordered a notice to the state government in connection with a PIL filed seeking rehabilitation and compensation to the villagers of Kalache, who were affected by a landslide in Yellapur taluk of Uttara Kannada district in July 2021.

A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale, also issued notices to the deputy commissioner of Uttara Kannada district and the chief executive officer of the zilla panchayat.

The petition is filed by Shivaram Gopal Krishna Goankar, a resident of Ankola taluk.

The petitioner stated that Kalache, under Vajrahalli gram panchayat, was the most affected village by the landslide following heavy rain. The village has more than 300 families, about 268 hectares of agricultural land and about 1,953 hectares of forest land. On July 22 and 23, 2021, there was heavy rainfall of 90.80 mm and 390.4 mm respectively, he said.

Further, nearly 657 villagers voluntarily consented for shifting to different places provided by the state government later. In a letter to the principal secretary to the Revenue Department, the deputy commissioner of Uttara Kannada district had requested the state government to provide compensation under the Disaster Management Act along with rehabilitation. In April 2021, the union government offered a compensation of Rs 15 lakh to those families willing to relocate to a new place, the petitioner said.

“...Kalache village is next to the Kali Tiger Reserve and the lands of the farmers could be attached or amalgamated with the Forest Department and it will promote the growth of forest and ecology. The villagers have requested the government several times to provide rehabilitation and compensation to the kin, houses and cattle that were lost in the landslide, but the government has not taken any action,” the petitioner said.