Cheeranahalli (Chikkamagaluru district)
Deficient rainfall during the south-west monsoon in 2023 has left areca growers in parts of Malnad region hard and dry. Worried about safeguarding their plantations through summer, many are purchasing water on a daily basis and carrying it using private tankers, as hundreds of borewells have dried up in parts of the region known for its lush green environs and heavy rainfall.
The State government declared both taluks of Chikkamagaluru – Ajjampura and Kadur – as severely drought-hit on September 13 last year, after taking the ground reports. The people in the taluks recall that they are facing a drought of this magnitude for the first time since 2013. With no alternative remedy, the growers are spending huge money to keep the decade-old plantations alive.
