the Hungund taluk of Northern Karnataka many villagers are still trying to get compensation money for the land and houses loss after seven months of the flood.
By Bibek Baidya
April 5, 2020. Bangalore.
In 2019 March-April and then September-October north Karnataka was twice flooded. More than 5,81,897 peoples are affected due to flood and almost 1,181 relief camps were built in Karnataka. Heremagi a village of Hungund taluk in Bagalkhote district is largely affected by the flood. Other villages which are highly affected due to flood are Aihole, Mugdhol, Chikmaghi etc.
Infographic showing the number of villages affected in Hungund taluk and the amount of compensation amount demanded.
Gaddappa Baniyar, a local villager from Heremagi village one portion of the house is completely damaged. He somehow manages to stay in another portion of the house. All his farming equipment were lost during the flood and now he is earning his daily live hood as a labour.
Like Baniyar, there are 304 villagers in Heremagi village whose houses were lost or damaged due to flood . Out of 120 acres farming land 50 acres of land is damaged during the flood. Government officials claims that they have provided all the facilities and funds. But villagers like Baniyar and many more after 6-7 months of flood still to get any kind of compensation money from the Government for the house and land loss.
After flood Chief Minister of Karnataka Mr. B.S.Yediyurappa, in the month of August declared category basis compensation money for the victims. The category comprises of three class A, B and C. Under A category Rs. 5 lakhs will be given to those houses with more than 75 per cent of damage or fully damaged. B category houses will receive Rs 1 lakhs, with damage percentage between 25-75 per cent with some portion of the property loss. The last category C will provide Rs. 25,000 thousand, those who need minor repairs works for their properties.
Report from the Hungund Talisdar, Basavarai Nagraj says “only B and C category damages are reported in the taluk. The total number of damage houses are 205 in the taluk, which needs repairing. Most of the villagers has received the compensation money. The remaining ones will receive the money with a month.”
In Hungund taluk of Bagalkhot District, total of 35 villages are affected and 17425 houses are damaged during the flood . The villages near Malabrabha river are badly affected. Villages like Heremagi, Medinapoor,Kamatgi, Chikmaagi Nandanoor and many more which are badly affected. Total of 14 villages near Malabrabha river are badly affected. The dam near Aihole village couldn’t able to resist the pressure of the water, so all these villages are flooded.
Heremagi village of Bagalkot District with more than 2,200 population is largely affected by the flood. Almost 596 villagers lost their homes in flood. During the flood villagers stayed almost 15- 20 days in the relief camps. Total of 386 relief camps were setup in Bagalkhote district.
Like,Baniyar, Gadappa Hugar, flood victim 2009 still struggling to get his compensation money from Government. Gadappa Baniyar says “now his earnings depends as a labour, he said sometimes it fells that we don’t belong to this country. After flood the condition is so scary that I have also lost some of my documents which prove that I am the citizens of the country.” For 10 years he is waiting to get the compensation money.
The Panchayat Chief Accountant Murthana Chalbadhi of Heremagi Village said under “Heremagi Panchyat total two villages Ramthar, Chikmagi. Around 500 houses are wasted due to flood, and only B and C category is there in under Heremagi Panchayat, and most of them has received the compensation money.”
But according to Gadappa Baniyar for last 6-7 he had been going to the panchayat and talisdar office to get the compensation amount from the Government.
Data from Tasildar office shows total of 829 houses are affected is in these 3three villages. When Team Soft Copy surveyed Heremagi Village it was found that they haven’t received any kind of money, only Rs.10,000from Prime Minister National Relief Fund.
When questioned again about on the compensation amount, the Panchayat Chief replied said “Its government works and it will take time, because the numbers of houses damage are huge some of them received and for other it will take time to receive the money.
During the time of in September Gaggappa Talisdar (previous Talisdar) of Hungund“said that the villagers will receive every basic facilities in the relief camps from repairing of the camps to medical facilities within five days.”
But the reality is as dark as the drinking water in the camps. The camps are still in same condition with 6months six months after the flood. Nearly 25-30 families are still living their damaged houses. But as per flood disaster guideline the scenario should be different.
1 acre contributes to a loss of 30-40 thousand rupees.
One of villager the camp says “we have been living here for since last 5five months and once in a week we visit the Tasildar office the only thing we get that is hope and time, we don’t know when we will be able to return to our villages.”
The Taluk Talisdar Mr. Basarvarai Nagraja says that “almost 80 per cent of the villagers has received the compensation money regarding the land and house lost. Remaining ones will also receive the money within two to three months. He reported that almost 75-85 cases in the taluk has been reported regarding full Government document loss, and Department is working to provide them with new documents as soon as possible.”
Pawan, student of Amingarh college lives in Ilkal, but during the month of August and September he was in Heremagi in his aunty house. So, he lost most of the documents from his voter card to some of the educational certificates. For last three months he has been visiting the Tasildar office, but the response in negative. He lost the faith to get the documents.
Due to second time flood in Hungund taluk total 5124 houses are damaged and a total of 18744 peoples where were moved from their homes to relief camps along with 3316 animals.
Total of 8261 hector farm land is wasted, 1049 hector of horticulture land and 40 hector silk production land is wasted.
In Gangur village near Heremagi, where still 35 families are their still to get compensation for their loss of agricultural land. The village houses are not affected by the flood but their farming land are highly affected.
Starting from Gaddappa Baniyar, loss of house to Pawan document loss complains there are hundreds of villagers who are demanding for their basic needs for last six- seven months.
Visiting to Deputy Commissioner office Mr. K. Rajendra the picture was much clear. He answers very clearly said “Karnataka Government has allocated Rs.78 crores for the victims. Rs.10 thousand each farmer and excess Rs.six thousand for the crop loss. All the farmers have received the compensation money. Based on the parameters by Karnataka Government in Hungund taluk only B category and C category houses damaged cases where reported. Total 304 cases where reported from them 38 are B category and 211 where C category. All these houses have received the compensation money from the state Government.”
Deputy Commissioner office of Bagalkhote district.
When question asked, that villagers complaint that they still to get the money the survey of the villagers he replied “the number is low and some of funds are stuck due to the recent political disturbance in the state. As soon as the problem will be solved the funds will passed and we will distribute among the left-out ones.”
Again, the reality is different from the words of District Commissioner, because we found that farmers outside the building waiting to get funds who lost their house or lands in 2009 flood still to get money.
Talking to one them, it gets clear that most of them haven’t receive compensation amounts. In the year 2009 their farm land and houses are badly affected by Krishna River flood (located in North-Eastern part of Hungund Taluk. They have been visiting the office for years in hope of the compensation money. But according to them only faith and assurance what they have got.
As per data of Karnataka State (Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre) KSNDMC, 61, peoples were dead and 15 peoples are missing in the flood. But reports from Bagalkhot District Region Control Health officer Mr. B.G. Hubballi“that only 45-55 cases of minor health issues like fever, stomach problems have been registered and there were no casualties reported in Bagalkhot District. During the time of flood 167 health camps was conducted with 1 doctor, 1 assistant nurse and two and two assistants where present in every health camps. As most of the Government Hospitals are under so most of the Health Camps are open for 24hours, equipped with all the basic medicines and facilities.”
With more than 60% of land loss compensation still to receive, and more than 35 families in relief camps and many families still to receive the category basis compensation money life is very tough in villages of Hungund Taluk.
So, peoples like Gaggappa Hugar, Gaggappa Baniyar and Pawan and many more villagers, it’s very hard for them to get the basic necessities from the Government after the flood.Though they have a right to demand house and land compensations and also the lost of Government documents. After 6-7 months of flood the villagers lost hope of getting the compensation money from the government.
