DK staring at deficit rainfall in June itself

Although monsoon entered the coastal districts on June 14, Dakshina Kannada is staring at deficit rainfall in the first month itself.

The normal average rainfall in Dakshina Kannada for the month of June is 941.8 mm. The district has received only 403.7 mm rainfall till June 24, while the figures showed 1,357.8 mm rainfall in the corresponding period last year.

Normal average

Also, the normal average rainfall for the district from January to June is 1,176.2 mm. The rainfall for the said period is 1,218 mm in Bantwal taluk, 1,208 mm in Belthangady taluk, 1,248 mm Mangaluru taluk, 1,192 mm in Puttur taluk, and 1,105 mm in Sullia taluk.

For the month of June itself, the average rainfall is expected to be 990 mm in Bantwal taluk, 977 mm in Belthangady taluk, 980 mm in Mangaluru taluk, 861.5 mm in Puttur taluk, and 803 mm in Sullia taluk.

The delay and deficit in rainfall has affected the farming activities in the district. Although the target for paddy cultivation in Dakshina Kannada has been 15,900 hectares, sowing has been taken up on minimal area of land.

Farmers’ dilemma

Manohar Shetty N, organising secretary of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, as well as a farmer himself, spoke to DH on the issue.

“Not many farmers have taken up either sowing of paddy seeds or transplanting of paddy seedlings. The paddy fields are yet to be filled with water. I had ploughed my field in the month of March itself, but I am not confident of being able to transplant the seedlings with such deficit rainfall in the region,” he said.

Speaking further, he said, “Although the IMD had predicted that the rain is likely to intensify within two to three days, I will be confident of paddy cultivation only after the region actually gets the rain. If the rain fails, then I may not go for transplanting of the seedlings. Instead, I will sow the seeds directly on the paddy field.”

Shetty suggested that farmers should opt for the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana this year, as the farmers would be insured against loss of crops due to vagaries of nature.

“We are yet to have the real monsoon shower with incessant rain lashing across the district,” said farmer Mohan, with worry.

Water situation

The rain in the catchment areas of River Nethravathi as well as the release of water to the river through hydro electricity generation units has increased the water level. This, in turn, has eased the region of its water problem.

The water level in Thumbe vented dam, which supplies water to Mangaluru city, stood at 5 metres. The gates of the dam have been opened for the release of water into the river. Owing to the delay in monsoon, the dam did not have any inflow of water till June 10.

The danger level of River Nethravathi in Bantwal is 8.5 metres. At present, the water level in the river is 3 metres, while it is 10 metres in Uppinangady, where the danger level is 29.5 metres. The water level in River Kumaradhara is 10 metres in Uppinangady, while the danger level is 28.5 metres.