BELAGAVI: The issue of de-silting and removing encroachments along Ballari Nala again comes to fore, with the submersion of hundreds of acres Basmati paddy crop, grown in around Belagavi, following incessant rainfall.
Long grain, creamy white coloured export quality Basmati rice with very distinct aroma is grown in villages surrounding Belagavi. However, the farmers always fear of their crops getting flooded by water from Ballari Nala during rainy season.
Desilting the nala and removing encroachments along the nala is a long pending demand of farmers, especially from old Belagavi, Vadagaon, Khasbag, Shahapur, Halaga-Bastwad and Kudachi. Due to silt, the stream has narrowed and encroachment by some people has caused it to saturate. At some places, it stream has been reduced to just 5ft to 10ft width, which is causing the flood situation during excess rainfall.
Ballari Nala originates at Yallur village near Belagavi and joins Markandeya River, after traversing 30km through Udyambag industrial area, residential clusters and agriculture farms. Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) releases untreated drainage water to the nala despite strict warnings by the National Green Tribunal.
Every time a flood situation arises due to the swelling of Ballari Nala, the issue of de-silting and encroachment removal comes to the fore. In 2019, standing paddy crop on around 700 acres had submerged.
Then the local authorities prepared an estimated Rs 800 crore project for desilting and encroachment clearance. But the project is yet to be approved by the government.
We don’t want compensation, say farmers
“We farmers don’t want compensation from the government after losing the crop by floods. We are facing a loss due to the apathy of the government. Let the government make a way for rainwater by removing encroachment and de-silting the nala. We face the threat of floods every year. But no concrete solution has been made so far,” farmer leader Raju Marave told TOI.
SS Patil, joint director of agriculture department, said the survey of submerged crops due to the swelling of Ballari Nala is yet to be conducted and will be done shortly.
