News Karnataka-Udupi
Udupi: Adding to their existing troubles is the unpredictable rainfall that has been creating immense distress to farmers around Udupi district in the past four days.
A large number of Mattu Gulla, a special variety of brinjal, have been completely destroyed because of these untimely rains leaving farmers in distress.
The plants grown on fields in Mattu and Kaipunjal area in Kote gram panchayat limits have been washed away in rain. The worst affected farmers are those who cultivated it in Mattu.
The brinjal was grown on 20 acre land in Mattu and Kaipunjal.
The Mattu Gulla Belegarara Sangha Vice President Parameshwara Adhikari said, “Hundreds of families rely on Mattu gulla farming, and with these rains the farmers have incurred a huge loss.”
“The government has been neglecting the farmers by not providing suitable compensation for the loss. We want the small vented dam at Mattu-Kopla to be repaired for leakage in its gates. Without the plugging of the leakage rivulet water flows backwards in summer. As a result, saline water destroys the crops”, he added.
He urged the elected representatives to address the concerns of the farmers. He said, “Despite submitting petitions, the representatives have failed to come to our rescue. If the leakage in the dam is not plugged, then farmers who grow paddy and Mattu Gulla will face more problems in the future.”
The flooding that occurred because of heavy rains a few days ago, in addition to the leakage in the dam, have destroyed all the brinjal plants.