Delayed monsoon, poor inflow raises concern

Concern is building as the monsoon rains that generally arrive in the first week of June have been delayed in the Cauvery region though the situation is not serious enough to cause any anxiety.

With the encouraging pre-monsoon rains, farmers took to sowing hoping for a normal onset of monsoon. But, the south-west monsoon is yet to pick up in full vigour although June is at an end.

The pre-monsoon rains improved the water flow into Cauvery basin reservoirs somewhat. But, subsequent below normal rains, attributed to El Nino impact, and the resultant depletion of water levels are causing concern while farmers and the Department of Agriculture are banking on the hopes of rains before July 10 as predicted by meteorologists.

The South-West monsoon ranges from June to September. However, from June 1 to June 24, rainfall activity was deficient by 28 per cent in the Southern peninsula, 90.3 mm against the normal of 125 mm, according to the Indian Meteorological Department,

Joint Director of Agriculture of Mysore M Mahantheshappa said, crops were drying up in the district due to deficient rains. Yelwal in Mysore taluk, Doddakalande and Hullahalli in Nanjangud taluk, Bilikere and Gavadakere in Hunsur taluk, Kasaba, Bettadapura and Ravandur in Periyapatna taluk, Sosale and Mugur in T Narasipur, and all hoblis in K R Nagar in Mysore district, where farmers had taken up sowing, had received insufficient rainfall and crops were drying up.

The rains anticipated before July 10 may help in the revival of crops. Otherwise, all the crops may dry up totally. In view of this situation, he said plans had been drawn up for cultivation of alternative crops in areas not sown so far, in consultation with the Agricultural University experts.

If this is the scenario as regards crops in rain-fed areas, farmers under the Cauvery basin area are worried over the low inflow into the reservoirs and their filling up, chiefly Krishnarajasagar (KRS), which provides drinking water to four districts and and irrigates lands in Mysore and Mandya region.

Compared to last year on this date, KRS water level is presently short of six feet. The inflow is meager 2,042 cusecs against 34,067 cusecs last year, while the level is 81.25 feet compared to 87.58 feet. The level in May first week stood at 84 feet. During the last one month, the water level has risen by just about five feet, while last year copious rains had brought in an inflow of 25 feet, the highest in the recent years. The reservoir's maximum level is 124.80 feet

The situation in Wynad areas of Kerala that brings water to Kabini in H D Kote taluk, which fills up first among the reservoirs, is no different from Kodagu. There are reports that water is being discharged from the Kabini since a week to Tamil Nadu, to meet the state's obligation. The position in Harangi and Hemavathi reservoirs too is similar to KRS and Kabini.

If the rains fail in the next few days, substantial amount of crops may dry up resulting in a drought situation, cause concern over supply of drinking water and fulfilling the state's riparian obligation to Tamil Nadu.