Water bodies brimming but farmers hard hit

By Vittal Shastri

Hubballi: The unseasonal rain in the district has left farmers and residents of low-lying area residents in Dharwad and neighbouring districts worried.

Water bodies in the region are brimming and a few have even breached their banks damaging agricultural crops which were set to be harvested. Houses have partially collapsed, while loss of cattle too has been reported.

Rice, chilli, onion and other such crops have been damaged in the district with Kalghatagi taluk taking a big hit. The district minister too visited Hultikoti village in Kalghatagi taluk and took stock of the situation.

A farmer leader, Mallikarjun Balangoudar said that almost half of the standing crop in agricultural land in the district has been destroyed due to heavy rains for the past threefour days but officers are not reporting the loss. Small farmers who were dependent on their crop are now in worried about their livelihood.

“We have been demanding Rs 25,000 compensation per acre but the government is not listening to farmers. We are fed up of the unfulfilled assurances given by political party leaders”, he said. Another farmer, Rachayya Mathad said that due to the rains, the lakes were damaged last year with the giant Hullikeri (Indrammana keri) lake spoilt due to the negligence of the concerned department . Another lake in Hultikotti village was also damaged for the same reason with farmers suffering losses.

Hubballi District Incharge Minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa said that the district has received heavy rainfall with a few places receiving more than 110 mm rain in a very short period which has led to such devastation. He said that Hultikoti lake will be developed and added that crops on around 300 acres of agricultural land has been washed away. “I have instructed the concerned officers to come up with their report as soon as possible and further steps will be taken considering farmers’ welfare”, he added.