E-Paper
Belagavi farmers battle dry spell, power cuts
The farmers who rely on borewells and open wells are struggling to extract water using electrical pump sets due to the erratic power supply
The distressing combination of dry spells and power disruptions have posed a new challenge for the Belagavi farmers, people familiar with the matter said. After grappling with excessive rain and floods over the past three years that led to crop losses, farmers are now witnessing their crops wither away due to an alarming lack of rainfall and irregular power supply.
The consequences of dwindling groundwater levels have become evident through the emergence of cracks across approximately 80% of the agricultural land in Belagavi, raising concerns for the farming community.
Belagavi is known for its cultivation of export-quality vegetables and paddy. However, the recent scenario has seen around 1,200 acres out of the total 1,500 acres of agricultural land in the Belagavi taluk facing arid conditions and the development of cracks across substantial portions of the fields.
Adding to the trouble, farmers who rely on borewells and open wells are struggling to extract water using electrical pump sets due to the erratic power supply.
The Belagavi Taluk Raita Sangha and Hasiru Sene have raised their voices against the inadequate power supply provided by the government.
Despite assurances of a continuous seven-hour power supply to rural areas, the reality is a mere two-hour supply in three phases. This deficiency in power has left even those farmers equipped with water-lifting machinery unable to adequately irrigate their fields and crops.
Appasaheb Desai, the president of the Sangha, said that out of goodwill, farmers who have borewells and pump sets have historically shared water with fellow farmers lacking such facilities. “But due to the inconsistent power supply, this attempt to help each other is not working either. So, the saplings planted shortly after the monsoon’s onset are wilting, and the emergence of cracks in the fields has made the situation worse,” he said.
Desai, who tends to vegetable and paddy crops on his four-acre land, said that the past three years have seen the taluk’s farmers grappling with loss caused by excessive rainfall and subsequent floods. “Now, the situation has reversed, with insufficient rainfall and interrupted power supply to pump sets is the new challenge,” he said.
Residing in Kadoli, approximately 5 kilometres from Belagavi, Desai underscored the significance of the Markandeya river for the region. Despite its seasonal inundation during monsoons, the river’s diminished water flow during summers has contributed to the formation of cracks in the fields.
“This was not only the situation of Kadoli but the entire district received less rains than previous years which could cause the drought,” he said and urged the government to declare the district as ‘drought-affected’ and proceed with relief measures to avoid farmers from taking the drastic steps.
Maruti Patil, a Raita Sangha member, said that despite the investment of time and resources, the harvests often failed to recuperate the costs incurred.
“The export-quality vegetables we grow in our taluk will not be grown in any part of the state. But, in the end, we couldn’t even recover the cultivation costs due to spoiled produce,” he said, adding that he has cultivated potatoes, cauliflower, and more on an acre of land by spending ₹25,000, which are now in a now drying up due to lack of water supply.
Ramesh Mayannache, a young farmer from the same village who garnered attention by utilising drone technology for fertilization, shared his recent experiences. Crops such as paddy, potatoes, and sugarcane are dying due to irregular watering intervals caused by the erratic power supply. Last June, as monsoon delays forced farmers in Belagavi taluk to rely on tanker water for cultivation, they now face the harsh realities of their choices.
