With only a month left for the onset of monsoon, the administration in Kodagu, which battled two devastating floods and landslips in the last two years, has shifted its focus on monsoon preparedness, after successfully combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kodagu, which had a lone case more than a month ago, is presently free from COVID-19, with no case reported after March 19. The district has been placed in the green zone and certain lockdown curbs have been relaxed, including those on construction activities.
Even as construction of houses for flood victims had picked up pace, the administration has proposed to hand over completed houses to the affected families before the monsoon sets in.
Also, officials are in the process of identifying areas vulnerable to floods and landslips based on the data sourced from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and also the data collated from previous tragedies. Minister for Housing V. Somanna recently inspected the houses and asked the engineers to complete them by monsoon.
The administration, in 2019, had estimated ₹1,700 crore for rebuilding Kodagu after the calamities. Last year alone, the loss suffered by the coffee industry was over ₹53 crore while the black pepper industry’s losses had been pegged at ₹83 crore.
Task cut out
Until August-September, key department officials will have their task cut out and cannot loosen up with multitasks on their hands, with the additional role of combating the pandemic.
When contacted, Assistant Commissioner Jaware Gowda said the construction of houses for flood victims at Galibeedu and K. Nidaguni was under way and the work had not stopped during lockdown. Work was continuing with limited number of workers who were maintaining social distance. Now, the work had been expedited by employing more workers with strict social distancing and safety norms in place.
In the meantime, monsoon preparedness has commenced on the lines of 2019 which helped the authorities to counter the rain havoc better and minimise losses. The tourism economy was badly hit because of two back-to-back tragedies. This year, much ahead of the monsoon, COVID-19 pandemic badly affected the tourism sector.
Sources told The Hindu that the teams that worked during last two years had been continued for the monsoon tasks and entrusted with counter mission. “Identification of elderly persons, pregnant women, people living in remote hilly areas and in isolated homes and so on was being done and they will be shifted to safer places,” a source said.
To be relocated
Also, the administration has proposed to entirely relocate the affected families living illegally close to river banks to obviate sufferings similar to those undergone in 2018 and 2019. The administration has identified government land in five villages for relocating 237 affected families who were living in temporary dwellings close to the river banks and most of the dwelling had been destroyed in the floods.
