Mysuru district has recorded its lowest rainfall in 60 years. “Mysuru received 213 mm against the average of 685 mm in 2016. This is the lowest recorded rainfall in 60 years,” said C. Govindaraju, station nodal officer, Integrated Agromet Advisory Services and Senior Farm Superintendent, Naganahalli Organic Farming Research Station.
Mr. Govindaraju said the district had received 685 mm of rain last year despite drought. This had become possible because of reasonably good pre-monsoon showers and rain in June but monsoon had failed in July, August and September.
The north-east monsoon had brought moderate showers in October and November last year, thus compensating the deficiency in south-west monsoon, he explained. However, this year, the south-west monsoon and north-east monsoon failed resulting in record rain deficiency, Mr. Govindaraju said.
All taluks in the district had been declared drought-affected. Farmers are in a state of worry as their crops had failed owing to failure of rain. Many of them had raised their crops borrowing loans from banks, financial institutions and others. Recently, a Central team of officials inspected the areas in parts of district to assess the drought situation and crop loss.
State Sugarcane Growers’ Association president Kurubur Shanthkumar demanded that the State government provide a compensation of Rs. 25,000 an acre for the loss suffered by farmers owing to drought.
According to sources, about 1,21,555 ha comes under irrigation in the district. As many as 87,685 ha is irrigated by canals, 17,377 ha by tanks, 10,323 ha by wells, 5,795 ha by borewells and 375 ha by lift irrigation. Kabini dam alone irrigates land in Nanjangud, T. Narsipur and H.D. Kote taluks. Only a small part of Hunsur taluk benefits from Harangi dam while KRS dam irrigates land around Varuna hobli in Mysuru taluk.
Since the dams had poor storage, the authorities could not provide sufficient water to irrigate the crops. Farmers in the Kabini command area had been demanding water to canals to save their standing paddy crop but the government had rejected their demand citing water for drinking purposes till next monsoon.
