Mangaluru witnessed a direct appeal on Monday from A.T. Ramaswamy, former MLA and state president of 'Parisarakkagi Navu' (We for Environment), who urged coastal residents and Kambala buffalo owners to reconsider organizing the traditional sport in Mysuru. Ramaswamy highlighted the severe drought gripping over 200 taluks across Karnataka and the significant environmental damage at the proposed event site as primary reasons for his plea.
Addressing a press conference in the city, Ramaswamy acknowledged the immense respect and admiration for Kambala as a cherished cultural and rural sport of the coast. However, he stressed that current circumstances demand a halt to the Mysuru event. He detailed the widespread distress among farmers and the general public, with groundwater levels plummeting and hundreds of villages facing acute drinking water shortages. Livestock, including cattle, goats, and sheep, are also struggling with a scarcity of water and fodder. Ramaswamy expressed grave concern that such conditions have emerged as early as October, warning of unimaginable hardships ahead, compounded by reports of a severe Super El Niño impact.
Mysuru district itself is not immune to the crisis. Dozens of its villages confront drinking water problems, and a staggering 2,928 out of 2,991 lakes in the district lie dry, with only 63 retaining water. Borewells within a 10 km radius of Mysuru city have dried up, leading to severe water scarcity in many urban localities. Water levels in key reservoirs like Cauvery, Kabini, Hemavathi, and Harangi have fallen to less than half of last year's storage capacity.
Beyond the drought, Ramaswamy pointed to significant environmental destruction at the chosen Kambala site in Mysuru. This area, originally reserved for a park, housed hundreds of trees, small plants, bushes, a dried lake, and diverse wildlife including rabbits, squirrels, and birds. Over 50 trees and hundreds of plants have been cleared, obliterating the ecosystem. The lake bed has been filled to construct a buffalo racing track, actions that have prompted the Forest Department to file an FIR regarding the tree felling.
Farmers statewide, enraged by the 'insulting' Rs. 2,500 drought relief declared by the government, have collectively decided to donate Rs. 2,501 to the Chief Minister's fund as a symbolic protest against their crop losses. Ramaswamy noted that protests against the Mysuru Kambala have persisted for three months, garnering support from writers and artists. Despite these appeals and citizen complaints about the unsystematic conduct of existing Mysuru Dasara events, both the government and Kambala organizers remain unresponsive, compelling him to make this direct appeal to the coastal community.
Image: varthabharati.in
đź“° Source: Vartha Bharati DK