CHIKKAMAGALURU: A harrowing tale has begun to unfold in Devanuru region as farmers have taken to ending their lives following crop failure.
A few days ago, Bhootayya, a farmer committed suicide due to his inablity to clear debts borrowed to cultivate crops. His son Lakshmeesha attempted to end his life by consuming poison in front of MLA C T Ravi. He resorted to this extreme step as a result of not getting any relief for his father’s death.
On Monday, M H Rajashekarappa of Machagondanahally committed suicide in the same region as he found himself in debt following failure of crops.
Devanuru in Kadur taluk, falling under Chikkamagaluru assembly constituency, is a drought-prone region. It is reeling under severe dry spell now. A minister assured to set up a textile park in this region to dissuade unemployed youth against migrating to urban areas, which did not become a reality.
The much-hyped Karagada drinking water project is limping from the past 8 years. It aims at filling Belavadi and Devanuru lakes by flowing water from Kargada Devikere to Malenahally through a 4.5 km canal, finally joining the Belavadi tank. Ministers Shivaraj Tangadagi and G Parameshwar visited the site and assured the completion of works in a couple of months. They even warned the contractor. MLA CT Ravi and his followers took up shramadan in the canal. However, the work has come to a standstill.
The Horata Samiti leaders Gurushanthappa, H M Renukaradhya and Raveesh Kyathanabeedu told Express that farmers in distress were cutting their areca and coconut trees to maintain livelihood and if Devanuru tank is not filled through Karagada project and the rains become elusive, many more farmers may start committing suicide.