Lingsugur Tahsildar Sham Shalam with officers during a visit to riverbank villages and Sheelahalli Bridge to inspect the situation.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
As many as 15 residents and 115 livestock are stranded on three islands in Lingsugur taluk of Raichur district after a large quantity of water was released into the Krishna river course from Basava Sagar Reservoir in Yadgir district.
After officials of Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Limited released a heavy quantity of water from Basava Sagar Reservoir at Narayanpur in Hunsagi taluk of Yadgir district into the river course to maintain a safe water level in the dam, the three islands in Lingsugur taluk of Raichur district are now surrounded by river waters, with connectivity with the outside world being cut off.
Also, 15 residents and 115 livestock, including bullocks, sheep and cows, have been stranded. The islands have been identified as Karakalagaddi, Mydaragaddi and Vankammanagaddi.
According to Lingsugur Tahsildar Sham Shalam, four members of one family in Karakalagaddi, eight members of 10 families and 80 sheep and eight cows in Mydaragaddi and three members of one family and 15 goats, two bullocks, and 10 cows in Vankammanagaddi islands are stranded, as they have lost connectivity with the outside world.
However, it is now being reported that the residents on these islands are in touch with people on the mainland over mobile phone.
These three islands have in all 66 acres of fertile land and the residents cultivate land for livelihood. Whenever there is flooding following the release of high quantity of water from the reservoir into the Krishna, they lose connectivity to the outside world.
The officials of KBJNL have in a statement said that 2.02 lakh cusecs of water were released into the Krishna at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday when inflow into the reservoir was 2 lakh cusecs. Water level at the dam now stands at 490.84 m against a full reservoir level of 492.25 m.
Officials discharge water from the reservoir whenever outflow from the Alamatti Dam increases owing to heavy rain in the catchment areas.
Meanwhile, a bridge in Sheelahalli village in Lingsugur taluk has submerged in the river waters. As a result of this, road connectivity from Lingsugur to several villages, including Hanchinal, Yalagundi, Yaragodi and Kadadaragaddi, has been affected. People in these villagers are now using the Jaladurga village route to reach Lingsugur.
Assistant Commissioner of Lingsugur Sub-Division Avinash Sindhe told The Hindu that a team of officers, including himself, the Tahsildar, the Taluk Health Officer of Lingsugur and revenue department staff, are visiting the stranded islands on Thursday to inspect the situation there. Later, they will arrange for groceries and other required material for the stranded people.
He said that an alert message has been issued to residents of villages on the riverbanks asking them not to venture into the river course for any reason.
โI visited villages on the riverbanks to create awareness among residents about floods and precautionary measures that have to be taken if water is released in high quantities from the reservoir,โ he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sham Shalam said that Health Department officials, doctors, and ASHAs visited villages on the riverbanks and carried out health checks.
โAn ambulance has been made available there to attend to health emergencies, if any,โ he added.
