Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB/SP)
Udupi, Sep 21: The district, which is already reeling under the onslaught by coronavirus infection, has now been battered by heavy rain that is continuing to batter the district.
Even though red alert was issued in the district, people living in low-lying areas had not shifted to safer areas. This complicated the issues. People tried to venture out of their homes after the water level rose dangerously and found it a daunting task to move out.
A 25-member disaster response force team has arrived from Mangaluru to handle the situation and the administration is waiting for the arrival of another team from Mysuru, it is learnt.
The district received 315.3 mm rainfall which is a record in Udupi taluk during the last 40 years. The district received an average rainfall of 197 mm. Rivers in the district, Swarna, Sita, Madisal,Udyavar, Shambhavi and Indrani, are flowing over the danger mark. Water level at Baje dam which supplies drinking water to the city rose to ten meters as against the dam height of five meters. Because of the huge inflow of water, the water pump stopped working. Engineer of the municipality, Mohanraj, said that people around the Baje area had been promptly shifted during late night hours.
District administration failure
The district administration failed to act promptly even though red alert had been issued in advance. It seems to have taken the alert lightly. The district has seven tahsildars. A natural disaster management committee presided over by the deputy commissioner with additional deputy commissioner to assist him is functional. The district administration stumbled in making advance preparations, and failed to hold meetings in the matter of handling such disasters. Other than some village level meetings, no proper meetings were organised, many have complained.
The absence of the district in-charge minister has been creating lot of problems. As the district in-charge minister is busy at Bengaluru, the deputy commissioner is burdened with all the issues including floods and coronavirus situation. It is felt that if a person from the district was made the in-charge minister, he would have been able to serve its interests of the people better. Many feel that if the natural disaster committees had held meetings, the people need not have faced a crisis to save their lives in the absence of Natural Disaster Response Force team. Luckily no one died, even though several cattle lost their lives. As the rain is expected to continue till September 28, the people wish that the district administration will at least take stock of the situation in all earnestness and undertake remedial measures in a more effective manner.
Meanwhile, the people of flood-prone areas, who were warned of the impending danger, waited till the situation went out of the hands to leave their homes. Brahmavar tahsildar Kiran Gorayya, said that three gruel centers have been opened at Heroor, Baikady and Aroor but the people, instead of coming to these centers and making use of facilities, have been found to be going to their relatives houses. He said that the rescue and relief operation which was undertaken the previous day is continuing.