Karnataka   

Rain hits life in Sirsi

Sirsi: For the fourth time in less than a week, rain with thunder and lightning lashed the town and villages in Sirsi taluk on Friday. It rained for more than two hours ruining agriculture activities and the Sri Marikamba Fair in Sirsi.

People, however, got relief from the scorching heat. Nonetheless, they are now worried over the effects of the unseasonal rain.

With three holidays (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), a large number of pilgrims were expected at the eight-day Sri Marikamba Fair in Sirsi. But the rain has stopped people going to the fair. Business at the market was affected badly as the temporary power connections failed.

The fair suffered a setback as the number of pilgrims and visitors came down on Thursday due to cloudy weather and rain on Friday.

Yakshagana and theatre shows and other types of entertainment shows were ruined.

In most villages, farmers had put areca in the open yards for drying. But due to the unexpected rain, growers are now expressing fears over the quality of the arecanut.

Areca flowers had blossomed in full scale and a bumper crop was expected for the next season. However, pollination has suffered owing to unseasonal rain, said Venkatramana Hegde of Bhairumbhe village near here. Further, areca tender flowers have started to rot following the rain, he added.

This spell of rain in March has shocked most farmers, said an octogenarian Ram Bhat of Kalmane in Siddapur taluk.

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