Bangalore : Who says this year Monsoon will play truant? Not in Karnataka. Out of a dozen reservoirs connected to flood waters of rivers in this state, nearly 10 of them are reaching danger mark and sluice gates will have to be opened to allow excess water to flow out. No border dispute on Mahadayi or Koyna or Krishna, or for that matter, Cauvery. If any politician wants waters from Karnataka for his state outside, he can go and drown himself on borders of Karnataka. Districts like Kodagu, and those of North Karnataka, whether Maharashtra or Andhra on the borders, have received enough water by a torrential rainfall, and all areas are filled with drinking water and enough to wash clothes and vehicles. But one thing, such pure rains from heavens should be stored.
People say Monsoon has arrived rather late, but rains did pour in April and May this year. And after 2 breaks of, say, about 10 to 12 days in June and July there was enough water to drown a million people. The farmers have not complained this time, what with 15% price rise even on Vegetables and 25% increase in food grains, grams, sugar and edible oils. It is a question if the excess money paid by poor middle-class buyers has gone into the pockets of manipulating middlemen or crooked wholesalers. The large companies in India have shamelessly entered retail trade in the form of Reliance, Tatas, Big Bazars and Malls only to spoil the market. The age-old village weekly open markets “Santhe” are back on rural circulation and in towns to appease buyers.
Getting back to rain water reservoirs, Kabini, Harangi, Krishnarajasagar (Mysore), Upper Krishna, Tungabhadra sagar, Shimoga (Bhadravbathi/ Jog falls), Hassan, Dharwad, Chitradurga, DK, Udupi, NK regions on the Malnad / Coastal parts are drenched in Monsoon rains. The ryots in villages are dancing in glee. Electricity supply is also returning to normal, although too many luxurious and towering buildings are demanding 24 hour energy, when farmers need power to pump water into the fields or to fill their lift irrigation wells. Inland fisheries must be in content when deep sea fishing is prohibited upto end of Sept, to allow fingerlings to grow into sizable fish for fishermen to catch in plenty and happily. The Aati and Ashadha months are no longer inauspicious in plenty of rains and flower bedecked plants.