Karnataka - Mysore   

Dry spell hampers agricultural operations in Mysore

MYSORE: Agriculture activities have suffered in Mysore district following a long dry spell. The moisture content in the soil is decreasing and farmers in many taluks have reportedly suspended sowing.

Though sources in the Agriculture Department maintain that sowing has not been severely affected, they admitted that agriculture activities have slowed down owing to the dry spell. Farmers have apparently put off sowing in rain-dependent land, anticipating rains in the coming days. Farmers are perturbed over the dry spell in the neighbouring Wayanad in Kerala, the prime catchment area for Kabini dam in H.D. Kote taluk that irrigates over 1.2 lakh acres of land. Kabini will be the first reservoir in the State to reach the full reservoir level, as the southwest monsoon hits Kerala first. With Wayanad being the catchment area, the dam usually reaches its maximum level in June.

But this year, the situation is not the same following failure of rains in June, even in neighbouring Wayanad. The water level in Kabini stood at 2,274.08 feet on Wednesday as against the maximum level of 2,284 feet. The inflow was 1,841 cusecs and outflow was 500 cusecs.

Irrigation in Mysore district is primarily depended on Kabini, Nugu and Harangi dams.

Among the districts in the Cauvery basin, Mysore has an advantage over others since it gets water from the four major dams — Kabini, Harangi in Kodagu district, Hemavathy in Hassan district and Krishnaraja Sagar dam in Mandya district — for irrigation.

The level in Harangi dam was 2,842 feet on Wednesday. The inflow was 901 cusecs and outflow nil. Compared to these dams, the inflow in Krishnaraja Sagar dam is slightly better as it had received 4,217 cusecs of water on Wednesday.

Its level was 104.56 feet against the full reservoir level of 124.80 feet. The outflow was 2,912 cusecs (released for standing crops).

According to sources, 1,21,555 hectares of land comes under irrigation in the district.

As many as 87,685 hectares is irrigated by canals, 17,377 hectares by tanks, 10, 323 hectares by wells, 5,795 hectares by borewells and 375 hectares by lift irrigation.

Kabini dam alone irrigates land in Nanjangud, T. Narsipur and H.D. Kote taluks. Only a small part of Hunsur taluk is benefited from Harangi dam while KRS dam irrigates land around Varuna hobli in Mysore taluk.

As irrigation gains momentum once water is released from these dams, probably by July-end or early August, the authorities here are making all-out efforts to meet the demand for fertilizers and seeds.

Although the annual demand for fertilizers is 5,500 tonnes, the district received 490 tonnes recently. It was complex fertilizer containing 15 per cent each of potash, phosphorous and nitrogen. This nutrient-supplying fertilizer is good during early stages of cultivation. The allocation from the Central agencies had been diverted for distribution through the supply network.

Official sources here told The Hindu that the district is expecting more allocation of fertilizers in the coming days as the time is nearing for irrigation. “We have put in our best efforts to meet the demand. The requirement has been communicated to the authorities and in response, we have been assured of allocating it in phases,” the sources added.

The demand for fertilizers and sowing seeds would go up substantially when water from the dams is released for irrigation. Last year, water from Kabini dam was released before July 20 because of good rains.

Kabini Raitha Horata Samiti president Kurubur Shanthkumar said that the authorities should pull up their socks and keep fertilizers and seeds ready as the demand would be substantial in the days ahead. “They should ensure that the requisites are distributed in one or two days instead of long duration as farmers will have no time to spare,” he said.

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