Although the threat of floods is wearing off in North Karnataka this time around, many places of the region still continue to be vulnerable to this natural calamity. If the subsiding rainfall and receding water in Krishna is anything to go by, the flood waters that led to chaos twice during the last two years have eventually begun subsiding.
Already, the floods have left an indelible scar on the minds of lakhs of farmers in North Karnataka. The recurring floods have unfortunately failed to wake the government up from its torpor. Even as flash floods have caused damages to life and property on a massive scale in North Karnataka since 2005-2006, no concrete measures have been taken as yet to make the region a safer place for people. As the rainy season draws closer, lakhs of farmers find themselves in a quandary with floods and destruction staring in their faces.
Basically, floods here are a crippling attack on farmers who have been hit by crisis time and again in North Karnataka. If not floods, the falling prices of agri produce, unfair agricultural policies, drought, etc., have ruined their lives. In 2005, floods washed away crops on a massive scale and again another round of floods took their toll next year. While their lives were slowly getting better with steady rainfall this season, the threat of floods once again began staring at their faces.
Major losses
The snail's pace at which the government takes up measures in the crisis situation is something that has led to major losses. The destructive floods in 2005 have left a deep psychological scar. The natural calamity that rocked North Karnataka after a gap of several decades not merely claimed many farmers’ lives but also led to a huge loss of property and crops.
The swirling flood waters forced thousands of people out of their marooned villages and left them with no other choice but to depend on government aid for a living. While funds have been released in abundance from both the Centre and State to meet the situation, no solid measures have been taken to protect people from floods.
Shifting of low-lying villages, increasing the height of bridges and roads, permanent rehabilitation measures, effective water management, etc., are a few measures which should have been taken up by the government in the last three years. Unfortunately, the government has worked on all these important projects at a very slow pace. Neither the State nor the Centre has shown any commitment to protect the farming community from floods in Karnataka.
Unfair water management
Even a slight rise in Krishna waters recorded during the last two weeks resulted in the submersion of many bridges and roads in North Karnataka, besides inundating many fields across Belgaum district. Many farmers’ leaders attribute the crisis to the lethargic approach of the government.
Lack of co-ordination between the authorities of Maharashtra and Karnataka on the release of water from their respective reservoirs and rivers is one of the main reasons for floods in North Karnataka.
The Koyna reservoir has turned into a big threat for farmers of Karnataka in the recent times. The abrupt release of water from this reservoir to Krishna had led to floods in Athani, Chikkodi and Raibag taluks in 2005 and 2006. The Krishna overflowed its banks and entered many villages, creating havoc.
Many experts question the construction of huge dams like Koyna and Almatti that have posed a threat to the surrounding regions in one way or the other. Koyna dam has been the most seismic-prone zone of the region. Built in 1962-63, the dam is about 103 m in height. The dam is blamed for the spate of earthquakes in the recent past. In 1967, a devastating earthquake almost razed the dam, with the dam developing major cracks. Geologists are still uncertain if the Koyna Dam is responsible for the spate in seismic activity.
Although the rains recorded this time (June-July 2007) have been considerably meagre, the outflow of Koyna was read at 2200 cusec on July 5 while that from Rajapur (another Maharashtra reservoir) was 1.60 lakh cusec. Alternatives to ensure that Koyna water does not overflow into villages should be considered.
The reservoir can certainly create damages in seismic proportions in the days to come if both Maharashtra and Karnataka governments fail to sit across the table and work out safety measures, feel the experts.
Almatti, another huge reservoir located at Bagalkot, North Karnataka has the capacity of storing 519.6 m of water. It would certainly become an arduous task to manage excess water if this mammoth dam fills to the brim. Such reservoirs can certainly give rise to floods.
It may be noted that Maharashtra has been opposing the raising of the height of Almatti dam as Maharashtra contends that ``it will flood even the Karhad town which is almost 90 km away from the Maharashtra-Karnataka border.'' The issue of water discharge from Almatti dam on Krishna river during the monsoons has also become a contentious issue.
Not a natural calamity
Whether it is a flood or drought, it is the farming community that is worse affected. After a three-year severe drought (before 2005), many parts of North Karnataka including Belgaum, Bagalkot and Bijapur districts suffered drought for three consecutive years.
Even before they could recuperate from the losses, a calamity of a different nature rocked the region in the form of floods in 2005 and 2006.
Delayed rainfall has probably avoided floods this time around. However, many fields and villages across Chikkodi, Raibag and Athani taluks faced some amount of floods this time. Many farmers in this region silently continue to live in misery with no relief in sight.
Several farmers’ leaders in the region feel floods in North Karnataka are not a natural calamity but a `man made' disaster. If floods suddenly start occurring in the region without much rainfall, then it's not natural. It's being given rise by somebody.
Unscientific developments and works always lead to such calamities. Perfect planning and vision is of great importance before working out major projects, they feel.
Instead of releasing funds in crores to meet the flood crisis, the government should come up with concrete measures to provide safety to farmers living in the flood-prone areas of North Karnataka.