The Hindu : This fertile tank bed keeps them going

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 24, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Others

This fertile tank bed keeps them going

By Bharath Kumar H.

CHITRADURGA, JAN. 23. Tanks sustain life and economy in the villages, irrespective of whether they are full or dry. Farmers in the villages of Chitradurga district, like elsewhere in the State, raise short-term crops in the fertile tank bed during hard times.

The crops raised include watermelon, muskmelon, and cucumber, which are in great demand in summer. Sometimes even Bengal gram is grown.

Thipperudra Swamy Dodda Kere, a tank built by the late Thipperudraswamy of Nayakanahatti, near Bosedevera Hatti in Challakere taluk, has been a source of livelihood to about 1,500 families of nearby villages during hard times. Unlike in other regions where the rich and the powerful lay claim to the fertile tank bed during summer, here the people have adopted an attitude of "care and share". "Every one in the village gets a share of land in this practice, which is not new. This has been going on for generations. After drying up the tank, the villagers clean it of weeds.

In some areas like Kyadigunta of Parashurampura, a formula for equal distribution had been evolved and every one gets an equal share.

"In Kyadigunta tank, the water spread area is around 90 acres. We clear up all the space and divide the area into pieces. Every one will have a share in it. Sometimes, every one will get a few hundred square yards," said Neelaiah of the village.

"This time, we have got only 12' x 12' space where we are growing Bengal gram. These plants don't need any water. There is enough moisture in the soil," he said.

There is also another positive fallout of this practice — farmers need not migrate to cities and towns in search of jobs.

"It is a better proposition than going to urban area with a begging bowl," said Thippeswamy.

"If luck is on our side, we may earn Rs. 10 per plant. That means one plant gives eight to 10 fruits and merchants buy at the rate of Rs. one per fruit. But this time we have no expectations. We can just get two to three fruits per plant as a disease has hit the plants," he said.

On an average, every farmer, who cultivates in Thippeswamy Dodda Kere, may get around Rs. 800.

"When there is hardly any water for drinking, where and how can we make our living? We have just emulated our elders. They made best use of the tank bed, when it became dry. That is the only place left with a very meagre water content in that soil. So they used to grow some crop that needed a very little water, at times short-term paddy too," said Channakeshava of Bosedevarahatti.

But this year even this option has eluded the farmers. "The tank has not been full for more than six years. So there is no question of growing paddy or such crops, which need more water. Now we are growing short-term mini-cash crops like Bengal gram, muskmelon, watermelon, cucumber, and so on which will give yield after 10 to 12 weeks of sowing and are in great demand in urban areas," he says. "We not only get money from the crop but also fodder after the harvest. If the Government takes away this land, then we will be on streets," he said.

Most of the farmers defended their action of cultivating on the tank bed.

"Why should it be considered wrong? We are just making best use of our tank, when it is dry. At least one should be happy that we are not going to any house with a begging bowl. We are earning our living with our hard work and self-respect," said Bosamma of Bose Devarahatti.

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