Farmers turn to water tankers to save crops

Davanagere

Due to the increasing intensity of the heat in district, the granary of arecanut, the water level in borewells is decreasing, causing a shortage of water for the gardens.

Therefore, farmers are resorting to tanker water to maintain their arecanut gardens.

Water is being supplied to many plantations in Channagiri and Mayakonda parts of the district by tankers.

The groundwater level in various villages including Chikkagangura, Koratikere, Hiregangura, Shettyhalli, Lakshmisagar, Yaragatihalli, Madapura, Akalakatte, Hodigere, V Ramenahalli, Kanchiganal in Channagiri taluk is declining. Arecanut farmers, seeing no other option, are buying tanker water and filling it into the agricultural pits in their gardens.

They are taking steps to save the gardens by watering the plants through drip irrigation.

Water is being supplied through diesel tankers and tractor tankers. They are paying Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 for a tanker of water to bring water and maintain their gardens. Farmers from Rampura and Mayakonda areas are paying Rs 500-600 to bring water in their tankers and use it for their gardens.

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Deputy Director of the Horticulture Department Raghavendra Prasad said, a lot of areca nuts are grown in Davangere district. It is normal for the nuts to fall off when the hot wind blows in summer. Micronutrients should be sprayed. Then the nuts will fall off less. If the garden is not plowed, then the land will heat up and the nuts will fall off more. There is also a lot of red and white powdery mildew in the gardens. There are medicines for that, and they should be sprayed, he said.