Heavy rains, paddy field submerged, crop destroyed

CH NEWS, UDUPI Heavy rains after the Kindi Dam was built to block the saltwater in Baikadi have flooded paddy fields covering an area of over 100 acres in Heru, Heranje, Uppur, and Baikadi. In many places, harvested rice grains are floating in the water, while in some places, rice grains are submerged. The Kindi Dam, built four years ago on the Sita River in Baikadi, is causing problems for the people of Heranje, Heroor, and Uppur areas. Those who used to grow uddu, nam and vegetable crops are now cultivating only paddy due to the Kindi dam. Although there has been a decline in paddy yields due to lack of rain everywhere, the crop here used to be good. However, farmers say that the rain has become a problem. We had told the workers before laying the planks on the dam that the harvesting work should be completed; then lay the planks. However, they had laid the planks saying, this is an order from above. Due to the recent rains, water has overflowed and the wheat in the fields has been submerged, said farmer Ramanna Poojary. If we immediately contacted the concerned officials, they would have all been removed. If we contacted the officials through local representatives, there was no proper system to lift the plank. It was too late to recruit workers and lift the plank back. The water has receded a bit now. However, as the water has receded, half of the crops have fallen off. Also, there is no grass available, he said. This Kindi dam was built during the time when Raghupati Bhat was an MLA with the aim of blocking salt water. However, since this dam was not built properly, it is not blocking salt water. Even after the planks are attached to the Kindi dam, salt water is entering the backwater. As a result, the water in the wells of many households in the river basin has become salty. Farmers are complaining that they are not able to do agriculture using river water and since the well water is salty, they are not able to do agriculture using that water either. Even though the investment made in agriculture did not return, there was satisfaction in bringing the crop home. After the Kindi dam was built, that desire also disappeared. We have withdrawn from agricultural activities for three years, said James Rodrigues, a farmer of Herur.