Heavy rains wreak havoc in grower’s life

Madikeri: A farmer who was living an uncluttered life since the past 40 years growing coffee, pepper in his two acres of land, today is without a home or land and is taking shelter empty handed, in the city’s Lakshminarismha Kalyan Mantap Relief Centre. The helpless victim is Shivaram who had worked hard all his life. The hillock has collapsed. It is difficult to identify his house and the farm as it has completely disappeared from the terrain leaving just a rubble that has left him completely traumatised. When Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council Kota Srinivas Poojari who visited the relief centre asked him whether he (Shivaram) was prepared to return to his village and start agriculture again, did he need road connectivity and how much time it may take to rebuild, the reply Shivaram gave was village after village has disappeared. It is very difficult to return to the same place as there is nothing left. Just help us with a new house, is all he asked. The house of Hoyasala, a resident of Indiranagar Layout here, is also reduced to just a mound of mud due to the landslides in Madikeri. Several houses have been destroyed in the landslides. It is very difficult to return as there is nothing left, he said. All he wanted was a job as he is mason, he said. Another resident Mynavathi said that she had built the house with a loan and now there was no place for her to live. Srinivas Poojari, who listened to their woes, was much moved and assured the victims that both the Centre and the State Governments would come to their aid in rebuilding their lives and property.