Belthangady : The Dakshina Kannada district administration has shifted 32 families from Ganesh Nagar in Mittabagilu village of Belthangady taluk to safer areas.

Ganesh Nagar was among the areas in Mittabagilu and Malavanthige villages of the taluk which were severely affected by flooding and landslips last year. The government had sanctioned land for construction of houses for these families. Officials said as construction was yet to be completed, the families had continued to stay in their present location.

Yatish Ullal, Assistant Commissioner, Puttur sub-division, told reporters that 115 persons from 24 families moved to the houses of relatives and friends. The remaining 34 persons from eight families were moved to a temporary shelter at the government school in Mittabagilu village, he said.

Social distancing and other precautions were taken while shifting the families and also at the rehabilitation centre, he said.

Personnel from Mittabagilu and Malavanthige panchayats were surveying areas and identifying families who also need to be shifted to the rehabilitation centre. “I met representatives of Baranke area, who have agreed to move to the rehabilitation centre,” said Belthangady tahsildar Mahesh G.

Action was taken to clear the dead wood logs that had flown down and blocked the Mruthyunjaya river at a check dam in Antara village of Belthangady taluk, he added. Earth movers have been placed at strategic locations in Charmadi Ghat, which connects Mangaluru with Chikkamagaluru, to immediately reach places in the district that witness landslips. Few houses in Malavanthige had been partially damaged.