Bentodi, Shivamogga: A recent tragedy in the backwaters of Chakra dam has starkly underscored the daily perils faced by residents of Bentodi village. The death of a 20-year-old man, Poornesh, after his fiber coracle capsized, highlights the desperate need for improved infrastructure in this isolated hamlet.
On September 13, Poornesh, along with two others, was attempting to cross the dam’s backwaters to reach Bentodi when their coracle overturned. While two managed to survive the ordeal, Poornesh went missing. His body was recovered the following day by skilled swimmers from Udupi, leaving his elderly parents, Manjula and Krishnappa, who work as agricultural laborers, to mourn the loss of their only son.
Distraught villagers are holding the Karnataka government accountable, asserting that the incident was a direct consequence of Bentodi’s chronic lack of connectivity. This small settlement, home to just four families, is regularly cut off from neighboring areas by the dam’s expansive backwaters, especially during the monsoon season.
Schoolchildren Face Daily Risks
The families, belonging to the Adi Karnataka Scheduled Caste, are landless and subsist by cultivating small plots in communal lands, hoping for eventual government grants. Their meager earnings necessitate daily commutes to work in nearby villages, a journey that invariably involves crossing the treacherous backwaters.
Each family owns a coracle, costing between ₹12,000 and ₹16,000, which serves as their primary mode of transport. Alarmingly, six children—Nireeksha, Deeksha, Manjunath, Sharanya, Nayana, and Nandan—rely on these same coracles every day to reach their schools in Kattinahole and Sampekatte. Poornesh’s death has plunged parents into a fresh wave of fear for their children’s safety, leading them to send their kids to stay with relatives in Kattinahole for now.
Ganapathi, a Kattinahole resident, expressed his deep concern, stating, “It’s terrifying to see children operate these coracles, even if they’ve learned. For their safety, the government must construct a bridge.”
Urgent Calls for a Bridge
D.K. Sathyanarayana Bhat, a member of the Sampekatte Gram Panchayat representing Bentodi, confirmed he has repeatedly appealed to officials and elected representatives for a solution. Following the recent tragedy, Tirthahalli MLA and former minister Araga Jnanendra visited the village to assess the situation.
Narendra Kumar, executive officer of Hosanagara taluk panchayat, announced that he has inspected a disused hanging bridge in Kanike, also in Hosanagara taluk. He plans to submit a report proposing its relocation to Bentodi, offering a glimmer of hope for the beleaguered villagers seeking a safe passage across the waters.