Farmers show way of securing water

The farmers in Dakshina Kannada face acute shortage of water during the months of April-May. To mitigate the crisis, the farmers in Irde-Balnad villages in Punacha near Vittal have constructed a temporary check dam across the rivulet and have been successful in irrigating 100 acres of farmland.

In fact, the farmers were depending on wells and pond for irrigating the farmland during peak summer. With the water shortage, farmers were finding it difficult to irrigate their farmland. However, with the efforts of over 15 farmers to build a temporary check dam, the water crisis for the 100 acres of land has been solved in Irde, Punacha and Balnadu villages.

The farmers constructed the temporary check dam using sand from the rivulet. A tarpaulin sheet 200 feet long and 22 feet wide has been used to cover the sandbag.

Progressive farmer Srihari Darbe was constructing a bund using the soil and sand across the rivulet 35 years ago. Owing to the shortage of labourers, the construction of bund was stopped in the region. Noticing the decline in groundwater table, farmers Srihari Darbe, Mahabal Bhat Darbe, Chandrashekar Bhat Darbe, Mahesh D K, Venkatramana Bhat Naduthundu, Girish Bhat Thotadamoole, Shivarama Shastri, Mohammed, Bappakunhi, Krishna Bhat, Gopala Shetty, Shambhu Sharma and others joined hands to construct a temporary check dam to store water for peak summer.

In fact, a vented dam was constructed by the government at Balnadu and Irde. However, wooden planks have not reached the villagers to store the water.

Aravinda Darbe said, "we have spent Rs 5,200 for tarpaulin sheet, and Rs 19,000 for the earth mover. In fact, a canal has been laid to let out the additional inflow of water. No one is allowed to walk on the bund nor allowed to swim in the stored water."