Artificial flood leaves over 250 acres of paddy fields fallow

The artificial flooding of Kota Giliyaar stream following the unscientific construction of two bridges and failure to build proper bunds on the banks of the stream by those, who remove clay for brick industries, has left more than 250 acres of fertile paddy fields fallow.

The farmland in a seven-kilometre radius gets artificial flooding during monsoon, thus making it impossible to take up cultivation.

Members of Kota Giliyaar Yuvaka Mandala have been fighting for a permanent solution to check artificial flooding inundating farmland in the vicinity for the last 10 years.

Owing to the flood inundating the paddy fields, farmers in the area are unable to take up paddy cultivation or any other crops during the monsoon. The floodwater remains in the field till the end of monsoon and unwanted grass grows on it, making it impossible to take up cultivation.

If the flooding continues, there is a possibility of farmland losing its fertility due to the accumulation of silt from the flood, feel the residents.

“In the past, the farmers cultivated three different crops in a year to eke out a living. They cultivated paddy twice and groundnut once in a year,” said Prasad Shetty, a private firm employee, whose family also own farmland in Giliyaar.

He said, “I only own four-and-a-half-acre farmland. After removing the weeds and constructing bund, we take up cultivation on the land in the month of December. The owners of the fields left fallow are interested in cultivating crops. However, due to the flood during the monsoon, farmers have to spend a lot of money to take up cultivation after the monsoon.”

The silt from the stream was removed a few years ago. A proposal was submitted to remove silt from the stream at a cost of Rs 3 crore, said taluk panchayat former member Bharath Kumar Shetty.

The residents feel that bridges with sluices at Koikooru and Giliyaar and another bridge on Kota-Bannadi road are also one of the causes for the artificial flood inundating the farmland. If these three bridges are removed and new bridges are constructed with pillars with enough space for the flow of water, the flooding can be avoided.

Silt from Kota Giliyaar stream from Malyadi bridge till it joins Bannadi stream should be removed. Further, the encroached banks of the stream should be reclaimed, to facilitate the easy flow of water. The silt removed from the stream should be used to construct a channel on either side using stones.

The farmers in the area have been urging the government to find a permanent solution to check the flooding of farmland, to take up farming activities. If the stream is rejuvenated, then inland fishing activities can also be promoted, said Shetty.