Tungabhadra reservoir.
Credit: DH photo
Bengaluru: Intermittent rains in the last three days have dented farmers’ hopes of making up for kharif losses as the showers, coupled with strong winds, has flattened paddy cultivated on thousands of acres in Kalyana Karnataka, coastal districts and Malnad.
The coffee and pepper growers in Kodagu, Hassan and Chikkamagaluru districts are staring at losses due to a prolonged wet spell.
Heavy showers in the last two days have destroyed acres of paddy cultivated in the Tungabhadra command area in Koppal and Vijayanagara districts. Laxman Rajarampet, a farmer from Basapur in Koppal taluk who’d lost paddy cultivated on eight acres, made a suicide bid by consuming pesticide. Alert locals snatched the pesticide bottle from him and rushed him to a PHC nearby.
Paddy harvesting has been affected badly due to rain and gusty winds in coastal areas and Malnad.
Prolonged rainy season has hit the coffee growers hard. Heavy rain has damaged coffee beans by causing ripe berries to fall off the plants. Also, the inclement weather has increased the risk of fungal diseases and mold. The story of pepper growers is no different. The black pepper crop is being affected by Foot Rot (Beru Kole)disease and if the rain continues for some more time, the pepper crop will be destroyed, says Dr S J Ankegowda of Indian Institute of Spices Research’s Appangala regional centre.
Meanwhile, a 63-year-old woman died when a portion of her house wall collapsed on her at Mathigod in Arkalgud taluk of Hassan district. Javaramma died on the spot while her son escaped unhurt. Many parts of Hassan have been receiving intermittent rain in the last three days. Lake breach at Bagur village in Channarayapatna taluk cut-off the road link to several villages including Kalasind and Vaddarahalli.
Inflow into Hemavathi dam in Gorur has increased following sharp showers in its catchment areas in Hassan and Chikkamagaluru districts. As much as 12,000 cusecs of water is being released downstream from Hemavathi dam.
Many parts of north Karnataka have also been witnessing moderate to heavy rains for the past three days.