Mangaluru: Acting chairperson of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC), T Sham Bhat, said the commission would recommend additional compensation to the Manjanady landslide survivor if a technical report by the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) Surathkal, confirmed negligence by local authorities.Ashwini lost both her legs in the landslide that occurred in May 2025. She also lost her two children and mother-in-law in the tragedy. She met Sham Bhat outside the Netravati Hall at the Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat and sought a govt job and housing support, alleging official negligence. Her family members told the commission that the house, constructed in 2017 under a govt housing scheme, was incorrectly recorded in official documents as being more than 80 years old. They alleged that a 70ft hillock near the house was cut using earthmovers and heavy machinery, weakening the slope and causing the collapse during heavy rainfall. However, local authorities reportedly maintained that the hill cutting was done manually, and said there were no records related to such work with the gram panchayat. Ashwini urged the commission to order a comprehensive probe by a state-level engineering expert.Speaking to reporters, on the sidelines of the public grievances meeting held on Wednesday, Bhat said Ashwini already received compensation under the norms of the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). He directed officials to obtain and examine the NITK technical report to assess whether there were any lapses by authorities. “If negligence is established, the commission will consider recommending additional compensation,” he said. He also noted that the victim has the option to pursue legal remedies if she is not satisfied with the official response.
