Udupi farmers seek desilting of stream, warn of protests over recurrent flooding

Udupi: A farmers’ organisation in Udupi district has demanded immediate desilting of the Sooladpu–Madivalasalu stream in Brahmavara taluk, warning that continued inaction could lead to severe artificial flooding during the next monsoon.

Jayaram Shetty, president of Raitha Dhwani Kota, told reporters on Friday that the absence of desilting in the stream, which passes through Manoor, Kaikoor, Giliyar, Chitrapady, Karkada and Kavady villages, has resulted in recurring floods that damage agricultural land every year. “Hundreds of acres of farmland are affected due to silt accumulation, yet no corrective steps have been taken despite repeated representations,” he alleged.

Shetty said a proposal seeking Rs 4.5 crore for desilting works had already been approved by Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister D.K. Shivakumar. The funds are to be released through the Karnataka Neeravari Nigama Limited (KNNL). “Following the Deputy CM’s direction, KNNL engineers prepared a detailed estimate, which has been forwarded to the Chief Engineer, Upper Tunga Project Zone, Shivamogga. However, no tender has been floated so far,” he said, expressing concern over unexplained delays.

He recalled that on December 16, 2024, farmers met Shivakumar under the guidance of Udupi district in-charge minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar to highlight the issue. During previous years, low-lying areas were inundated, disrupting normal life and cutting off road connectivity between Giliyar, Belur, Kota and Saibrakatte, he added.

Shetty warned that if desilting is not undertaken before the monsoon, farmers would face severe crop losses and livelihood disruptions. He noted that the issue has been discussed in the general body meetings of six gram panchayats and Saligrama town panchayat, all of which have passed resolutions urging immediate action.

“If officials continue to delay the work, we will organise a large-scale protest in front of the Brahmavara tahsildar’s office within 15 days,” he said