Five villages cut off from mainland as ferry services suspended

Mangaluru: People of five villages in Mangaluru taluk have been marooned as the ferry services to the mainland across the Nethravati, have been suspended. The river was swollen following heavy inflows due to incessant rains in the region.

The population of the five villages - Konaje, Amblamogaru, Pavooru, Harekala and Farangipete is close to over 20,000 and every day close to 1200 people cross over to the mainland for work, education and other purposes. "If they were to take the road to come to Farangipet from Harekala they have to travel for 90 minutes and spend not less than Rs 60 oneway. These villages are inhabited by poor people and many of them are daily wagers, luckily there is a vented dam being built across the river connecting Farangipet and Harekala which can be utilised by the people till the ferry services resume after the monsoons," MLA of Mangaluru constituency and deputy leader of the opposition in the Assembly UT Khader told Hans News Service.

"I have requested the Deputy Commissioner to give a direction to the minor Irrigation department to allow the people to use the path over the vented dam. The department heads have already told me their problems about the permission for the people to use the facility. Understandably the bridge is yet to be completed and there could be operational problems, but if the Herekala and Faringipet Village Panchayats can pass a resolution after holding an emergency general meeting it still could be done," Khader said. People of the villages have stated that the entry and exit of the villagers using the bridge could be regulated through the police department's presence till 10 August so that they can use the facility without compromising safety. "I have apprehension that other people might come from other parts to use the bridge for tourism purpose and create some nuisance in the area," Khader said.