RAIN RAMPAGE CONTINUES; POST OFFICE BUILDING CRUMBLES

Madikeri July 2, 2007

A post office building at Marandoda village crumbled down as a huge tree fell on it yesterday. Rain rampage continues in the district with bridges and rivulets flowing high causing harm and blocking traffic.

Bethri Bridge, which had seen water flowing over it, was blocked for service since yesterday night as three feet water is flowing over it. Direct link to Madikeri and Virajpet is cut with the bridge submerged in flood waters.

Flash floods yesterday caused life threat to a family at Bolibane near Napoklu. Bolibane is islanded since four days and a family was living in a high range within. Raising water gushed into the house yesterday and eleven members of a family climbed up a tree and began to call for help. Police rescue jeep rushed to the spot and swimming sleuths rescued the family. Relief centers in different parts of the district are being crowded with more and more victims being shifted by the district administration. Madikeri relief centre has around hundred victims who have lost their houses in landslides. A lady was seen wailing in the centre begging for help and stating that the house she was living in for thirty five years is swept off by the land slide at Mangaladevinagar.

The neck high water over Bhagamandala Bridge continues to flow, crippling the life.

MLA K.G.Bopaiah today handed over a boat to bhagamandala gram panchayath to be used during the floods. The boat can ferry fifteen persons at a time.However people fear using the boat as flash floods might sweep the boat away, causing new concern.

Hundreds of acres of land are submerged in Kodagu at Bhagamandala, Bethri, Kadnur, Kadanga, Lakshmana Teertha and in other places.

Revenue, PWD, KPTCL and Police officers and personnel are working hard to control the situation.

Boating at Bhagamandala

Cauvery at Bethri flowing high

Tree falls on transformer at Madikeri

BANDH EVOKES GOOD RESPONSE;

Bandh call issued against the Jamma Land circular by the government evoked good response all over the district with shops remaining closed and schools declaring holiday.

Different organizations have called for bandh toprotest the revenue ministry decision to deny right over jamma lands to its owners. Police put the success of bandh as ninty percent.

Life was crippled as local busses went off the road and business establishments shut their doors. KSRTC cancelled all local routes and sent only out district busses since morning.

Police thwarted rasta rokho efforts in many parts and controlled law and order in an appreciable manner. Even autorikshaws did not ply in many towns. Vehicles were plying smoothly only at Kodlipet and Shanivarsanthe. Total bandh was observed in rest of the places in Kodagu.

Thin presence was found in government offices, including Deputy Commissioner’s office at Madikeri.

Jamma samrakshana samithy and youth congress members shouted slogans against Government and jamdar, the then Revenue chief secretary, who had passed the controvercial circular against Jamma land.

Bandh view at Madikeri