Water Scarcity Hits Paddy Cultivation in Kodagu as Farmers Face Poor Monsoon
Ponnampet: Paddy cultivation in Biloor village of Ponnampet taluk in Kodagu district has been severely affected by water scarcity, with farmers struggling to provide sufficient water to their fields amid a poor monsoon this year.
Farmers in the village said several paddy fields are facing a shortage of water at a crucial stage of cultivation, raising concerns over crop losses and reduced yields.
“Water is not available in our paddy fields and cultivation has been badly affected this year,” Raghu SM, a farmer from Biloor said, adding that the situation has become particularly difficult due to inadequate rainfall.
Paddy cultivation in parts of Kodagu depends significantly on monsoon rainfall and local water sources. However, farmers said the poor monsoon has resulted in reduced water availability, leaving agricultural fields dry.
Farmers have expressed concern that continued water scarcity could further affect the crop if there is no improvement in rainfall or availability of irrigation water in the coming days.
The Kodagu Express had earlier reported that inadequate and untimely rainfall during the monsoon has affected paddy cultivation across 2,120 hectares in Kodagu, with the highest extent of crop damage reported in Ponnampet and Virajpet taluks.
According to the assessment, paddy crops have been damaged across 1,470 hectares in Ponnampet taluk and 650 hectares in Virajpet taluk, taking the total affected area to 2,120 hectares.
Joint Director of Agriculture Chandrashekhar said the assessment was carried out based on the absence of rainfall for three to four consecutive weeks, along with an evaluation of soil moisture and groundwater conditions.
Following the assessment, the Agriculture Department has submitted a report to the government seeking approximately ₹1.93 crore in subsidies for farmers whose paddy crops have been affected.
Meanwhile, farmers have urged the authorities to assess the situation in the affected villages and take necessary measures to support farmers and ensure water availability for paddy cultivation. The farmers said timely intervention is essential to prevent further damage to the crop and protect their livelihoods.
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