Silt in stormwater drain: Farmers fear crop loss at Melkar

May 18: Farmers at Melkar Denjippadi in Bantwal taluk have been facing huge losses due to accumulation of silt in the stormwater drain in the area. In the past three monsoons, the silt that has accumulated has resulted in reverse flow of water in the stormwater drain. Up to 200 acres of paddy fields and arecanut plantations at Naila, Marlimaru, Kukkarabettu, Bondala, Nelligudde, and Borugudde in Narikombu village and Panemangaluru in the Bantwal Town Municipal Council limits have been affected. The affected farmers have been requesting the elected representatives and tahsildars to remove the silt in the stormwater drain in order to facilitate the free flow of water. Farmer Suraj said that the problem of silt accumulation in the drain is likely to worsen this year, as a newly constructed hall has partially encroached upon the drain, reducing the width of the drain.
A memorandum has been submitted to the deputy commissioner to desilt the drain before it is too late. If the work is not undertaken by the end of the month, the loss incurred by the farmers should be borne by the district administration.
The farmers have also warned of staging a protest in front of the Bantwal Municipal Council office. Manohar Shetty N, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha organising secretary, said that the farmers had suffered losses due to water logging in the farmers’ land. He also urged the deputy commissioner to take measures including deploying an excavator to desilt the stormwater drain at the earliest.