In Alnavar town of Dharwad district, where a red alert has been sounded in view of the possibility of fresh inundation and floods, the district administration has shifted 800 people and moved them to the rehabilitation centre set up at Mugudam Kalyan Mantap in Dharwad on Friday.
These people were mostly from the low-lying areas of Alnavar town, Earlier, 300 people were shifted to the rehabilitation centre opened at Alnavar. The decision to shift these residents, along with others, was taken considering the rise in the water levels of Indirammana Kere in Hulikeri village off Alnavar.
As there were apprehensions of the tank bund breaching, the administration got the gates of the tank opened with the help of NDRF staff on Friday. Now, water is flowing out of the tank smoothly. However, along with NDRF and SDRF personnel, the local officials are maintaining a round-the-clock vigil on the situation.
As many as eight buses and other facilities have been kept reserved to shift more people in case of an emergency. Food, accommodation and medical facilities have been provided at the rehabilitation centre in Dharwad, officials said.
Meanwhile, the officials are making public announcements asking residents of some parts of Navalgund town and the villages in the catchment areas of the Bennihalla and the Tuprihallla rivulets to move to safety. Nearly 800 residents in habitats located along the banks of the rivulets have been shifted to the rehabilitation centre at Arekurahatti village. Besides, the officials are maintaining round-the-clock vigil over the flood situation. They are making continuous public announcements asking people residing in Arekurahatti, Yamanur, Ayatti, Morab and Ambedkar Nagar of Navalgund town asking them to move to safety. Already, several families have moved to safer places. Staff of emergency services have also been kept ready.
The water level in the rivulets have come down. However, there were possibilities of the condition reversing in case Dharwad and surrounding areas receive heavy rain, the officials said.
The district administration has opened a centre to collect relief material from the public, voluntary organisations, institutions, individual donors and others at Akkana Balaga Auditorium here. Those who wish to offer cash donations have been requested to remit money through cheques or demand drafts to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. These contributions attract tax exemption under Section 80G (2) of the Income Tax Act. For details call Ph: 9480230962 or 1077, said a release.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner M. Deepa has said that instructions had been issued to the Department of Health and Family Welfare officials to take steps to prevent water-borne disease and epidemics.
As a precautionary measure, mobile health units have been set up and dispatched to rural areas. These units would tour villages and remote areas to hold health checks and distribute medicine free. The district has sufficient storage of medicine, and staff. Services of private doctors would be sought if required. The officials have been asked to compulsorily carry out chlorination of drinking water supplied to rural and urban areas. KMF has supplied milk and biscuits to inmates of rehabilitation centres, she said.
No fuel shortage
Ms. Deepa has appealed to the people not to heed to rumours about fuel shortage in the backdrop of heavy rain. She said that the local plants of HPC, BPC and IOCL have sufficient storage of fuel and supply has also not been disrupted. Consumers would not face any shortage of fuel in the district, she said.