Rain brings no relief to farmers

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, JULY 3. Parts of Mysore district received their first spell of heavy rain after a month's lull, but it failed to bring any succour to farmers in the region.

The rainfall was intermittent, and lasted less than two hours. It turned out to be a case of ``too little too late'' since most farmers have already lost their crops due to the prolonged drought. Cloudy conditions continued to prevail throughout the day, but there was no more rain.

The authorities here said the district had received inadequate rainfall this year. Mysore District had received a rainfall of only 257.04 mm. till June, as against the average of 291.3 mm. The rainfall in the corresponding period of last year was 270.1 mm.

Taluk-wise, the scenario was no better. T. Narsipura taluk received a rainfall of 133.6 mm. as against the average of 255.1 mm., while Periyapatna taluk received 295.7 mm. as against the average of 327.9 mm. for the six-month period from January to June 2001. Nanjangud received a rainfall of 202.7 mm., while the average rainfall for the taluk for the six-month period is 274.4 mm. K.R. Nagar too received deficit rainfall of 246.6 mm. as against the average of 274.3 mm. However, rainfall in Hunsur and H.D. Kote taluks exceeded the average for the six-month period.

Sources pointed out that rain was unseasonal, and did not help farmers. It was rainfall in June that mattered to agriculturists. Rains played truant with none of the seven taluks in the district except Periyapatna taluk receiving the normal monthly average of 65.2 mm.

While H.D. Kote received a rainfall of 62.6 mm. as against the average of 87.4 mm. for the taluk for June, Hunsur received 63.8 mm. against average of 68.9 mm. K.R. Nagar was the driest with a rainfall of 23 mm. as against the normal rainfall of 55.8 mm. for June. Mysore taluk received only 20.9 mm. as against the June average of 62.1 mm., and T. Narsipura received barely 2 mm. against the average rainfall of 49 mm.

Caught offguard: While the rural hinterland continued to pray for rains, the urban centres were once again caught offguard with the short spell of rain exposing the inadequacies of the infrastructure. The civic projects in progress in many parts of the city came to a standstill and exposed the public to perils.

This is the situation near the Chamaraja Wodeyar Circle adjacent to the palace, where large slabs have been removed as they are to be relaid. The authorities are lagging behind schedule, and the short spell of rains resulted in open gutters being inundated.

Such a scenario prevails particularly in the city centre, exposing road users to danger. Motorists have to weather not only the bad roads, but also be wary of open manholes. Pedestrians are forced to walk on roads in the absence of pavements, which are being repaired. Road repair undertaken in parts of the city has come to a halt, and the authorities are reluctant to take it up till the rains subside.

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