Madikeri MLA Appachu Ranjan M P, Somwarpet Tahsildar Govindaraju and officials from the Agriculture Department on Monday visited the farmers and residential areas near Chiklihole dam where rains have caused extensive damages.
Reviewing the situation, Ranjan said that villages in Kambibane Gram Panchayat limits had been receiving heavy rains for the three years and the farmers had suffered losses after crops were destroyed. This year, Chettalli region too has received 14 inches of rain in a single day leading to the destruction of crops and losses to the tune of lakhs of rupees to farmers.
"The issue has been brought to the notice of chief minister. We have appealed to the government to compensate the farmers for the losses incurred," the MLA said.
Ranjan meanwhile directed the officials from the Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture and Revenue to provide complete details on the losses incurred in the region due to incessant rains. He said he would verify the details by conducting site inspections. Later, a proposal will be submitted to the government for compensation.
Farmers Manjunath Rai, Babu Rai, Chandrahas Rai, Pushpadhar Rai and others said that owing to continuous rains for a week, paddy and jowar fields were inundated. Now, the fields are filled with slush and the paddy and jowar crops have been destroyed. The fields were waterlogged as the Upputhodu stream at Biddirahalla overflowed.
The MLA visited the coffee and areca plantations which were destroyed by the floodwater from Chiklihole dam. He noted that water in Upputhodu rivulet, near Chiklihole dam, has not been flowing freely due to blockages. The stream is filled with mud and shrubs. Measures will be taken to clean the stream, he added.
Zilla Panchayat Vice President Lokeshwari Gopal, district BJP former president B B Bharatish, Taluk BJP president Dasanda Ramesh, Agriculture department Deputy Director Rajashekhar and the Revenue department personnel were present.
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