With deficient monsoon, water bodies near dry

Even after a month since the official declaration of monsoon here, the signs of normal rain are yet to gather steam in Kodagu district.

The rain pattern has changed in the district in the last two years. There was a time when the district used to receive heavy and continuous rainfall in the months of June and July. Unfortunately, this year, the water bodies have not yet filled and the situation has worsened this year. Kodagu, which is a major catchment area of the River Cauvery, had only experienced intermittent rain before the onset of monsoon.

With rain proving deficit, the drains beside the roads are no longer overflowing. The streams that augment the inflow of water into river are now flowing below normal due to weak monsoon activity in the basin.

Even open wells have gone dry in the district. The streams and ponds inside Nagarahole have gone dry. The water to these ponds is now being supplied from borewells.

All the lakes and streams inside Mavkal reserve forest and Aanechowkooru have gone dry. The drizzle in the region has turned the trees green, however, bamboo plants are yet to sprout in the forest. The bamboo went dry seven to eight years ago. As there is no moisture content, the seeds have not sprouted yet. With shortage of food inside the forest, the elephants, bison and deer have started invading coffee estates in search of pasture.