Last year’s rain fury victims still await government help

People who lost their farmland and houses in the taluk due to the heavy rain that lashed on August 9, 2019, are struggling to rebuild their lives.

Unable to carry out farming on the land filled with sand, they are urging the government to sanction them alternative land.

Crops on 1,565 hectares of land was damaged in the rain. Hundreds of hectares of coffee plantation at Madhugundi, Jaavali, Malemane, Karagadde, Maidadi, Kolamage, Kirugalumane, Devaragudda and Kaskebail were damaged in landslides. As a result, all the coffee plants were uprooted and the growers are struggling to eke out a living.

The officials and elected representatives, who had visited the affected areas, had promised to sanction alternative land. Even after several months, the alternative land still remains a dream for the victims.

Farmer Chandre Gowda from Kaskebail said, ‘’I have lost my eight acres of coffee plantation. The state government had sanctioned only Rs 56,000 as compensation.”

“The plantation is filled with sand. In spite of getting permission to remove the sand, I am not able to get it removed as it is costly. The government should announce special package for those who have lost their land. I may not be able to cultivate on the devastated land for at least seven to eight years,” Gowda added.

An official from Revenue department, on condition of anonymity, said, ‘’There was a plan to earmark land for those, who lost the land. Accordingly, 276 acres were identified for the purpose. Of the 276 acres identified, 230 acres are Deemed Forest. Hence, it could not be distributed among the victims.”

Grower Satyakumar from Bettagere said, ‘’Compensation should be paid for those who lost their land. The loan borrowed by those who have lost their land should be waived.”