Dashina Kannada received 2491 mm rainfall since January

Dakshina Kannada district has received a total of 2,470 mm of rainfall from April to September 16 this year. This is nearly 1,000 mm less than the normal rainfall of 3,470 mm.

According to available statistics from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), DK has received 2,491 mm rainfall as against 3,491mm normal rainfall from January to September 16. The district has remained almost dry by experiencing only 239 mm of rainfall in August, as against the normal 892 mm of rainfall.

From September 10 to 16, the district has received 177 mm rainfall.

Amid scanty rainfall, the state government has declared Mangaluru and Moodbidri taluks have been declared as drought-hit taluks in DK. However, farmers felt the entire district should have been declared as drought-hit due to the deficit rainfall.

Farmers lament

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha Hasiru Sene General Secretary Manohar Shetty lamented that all he sowed in July got washed away due to heavy rains.

However, Paddy sown in August was also affected due to scanty rainfall,” he
added.

The district has been experiencing a brief spell of rain from the first week of September. Arecanut growers were waiting for the showers for the application of fertlizers, said a grower from Belthangady.

Rainfall in Udupi

Udupi district has received 2,926.8 mm rainfall from April till date, also severely short of the expected 4,050 mm rainfall.

Karkala and Brahmavar taluks have been included in the drought-hit list announced by the state
government.

Bharathiya Kissan Sangha General Secretary Satyanarayana Udupa flayed the state government for not including Kaup and Kundapura taluks in the severe drought-hit taluk list. “With deficit rainfall, the entire district is reeling under the drought-like situation. As a result, there will be a decline in paddy yield by 30 to 50 per cent,” he said.

“There is a shortage of water for crops in Brahmavar, Kaup, Kundapura and Byndoor areas. Officials should submit a ground reality report to the government and the entire district should be declared as a drought-hit district,” said Udupa