Chikkodi: Rivers Overflow Due to Heavy Rains, Traffic Disrupted

Chikkodi: The water level in the rivers of Chikkodi district is increasing every hour due to the torrential downpour in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra and the rivers are overflowing. As a result, seven lower level bridges were flooded and traffic was disrupted. Seven low-level bridges across the Krishna River and the Vedaganga River have already been inundated, cutting off connectivity to the riverside villages. The bridge connecting Malikwada-Dattawada in Chikkodi taluk has been submerged. Karadaga-Bhoja, Bhojawadi-Kunnoor, Siddala-Akkola, Jatata-Bhivashi, Mamadapura-Hunnaragi, Kunoor-Barwada bridges in Nippani taluk are inundated due to increased inflow in the river. As a precautionary measure, the Chikkodi and Nippani police have barricaded the roads connecting to the bridge and blocked the traffic and a police presence has been arranged by installing nameplates for those who travel on the bridge.

Due to heavy rains in Western Ghats of Maharashtra, water levels in Veda Ganga, Dood Ganga, Panchganga and Krishna rivers have increased due to inflow. Rivers are flowing at dangerous levels due to rising water level every now and then. At Rajapur Barrage in Maharashtra, there was an increase of 71333 cusecs inflow in Krishna River. Chikkodi PWD sub-division officer Madhava Geetha informed the media that Hipparagi Barrage has an inflow of 82300 cusecs at present.

On the other hand, the farmers have heaved a sigh of relief due to the torrential rains for the past one week. As it is raining non-stop, the breadwinner has a smile on his face. The paddy plants that were growing without water have now come to life. In the fields of the farmers around Belgaum, which were empty without water, water is now visible everywhere you look. The rain has shown grace to the prayers of the farmers. It has been raining non-stop for a week all over the district. Due to this, the agricultural activity in the paddy fields of most of the villages including Vadagavi, Shahpur, Yallur, Khasbag, Basavanakudachi, Nilaji, Mutaga, Uchagaon, Kadoli, Jafarwadi in Belgaum district has been accelerated. It is seen that the farmers are enthusiastically engaged in farming even in the rains.

Farmer Raju Marve, who was tilling the paddy field in Shahapur for planting paddy, said, ‘Good rains have brought relief to all the farmers. Last year, one and a half feet of paddy had grown on this day. However, this time due to lack of rain, not even one foot of crop has come. Farmers will benefit only if it rains,’ he said.