Artificial floods due to estuary blockage at Someshwara

Ullal: Areas in and round Bettampady in Someshwara are facing artificial floods due to the chocking of estuary here on Tuesday, October 30^th. Many houses in the vicinity have been inundated.

Post monsoon, water stagnates near the estuary and the estuary gets blocked due to the sand dunes getting collected due to the waves. Normally, the panchayat clears the channels with the help of excavators, to ensure that water flows freely in to the sea. However, the work on clearing the channels was neglected this season which has unfortunately led to the artificial flood of the entire area here.

The villagers say that the excavators do not accept the work, fearing the illegal sand extraction norms. Due to blockade, water level increased, leaving the residents trapped in their houses. Even a railway under-bridge had been inundated, forcing the residents to walk beside the railway track.

Gadinadu Rakshana Vedike President Siddiq Talapady had posted a video clip on social media highlighting the prevailing condition. Tahsildar Guruprasad has rushed to the spot and directed Panchayat officials to initiate immediate measures to clear the block.

Rajesh Ucchil who is the president of Someshwar Gram Panchayat said that the panchayat had been initiating measures to clear the block in estuary every year. “We had not received complaint on blockage this year. The block in the estuary had resulted in marooning of the houses. The Gram Panchayat will initiate measures to clear the blocks,” he assured.