Mohan Kuthar

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP) 

Udupi, Jul 9: The people living in coastal Karnataka, who once heavily depended on agriculture, have steadily been distancing themselves away from agriculture for various reasons like shortage of workers, water scarcity, youngsters lured by IT sector, real estate, factories etc. The agricultural fields are either encroached upon or turn into barren lands. Yermal Harish Shetty, a native of Yermal near Padubidri and Mumbai-based entrepreneur, has accepted these challenges, turned towards his roots, and has volunteered to till the land. 

After the onset of monsoon, he came to Yermal last Monday from Mumbai, and got involved with raising paddy crop in about five acres of land belonging to his forefathers. He also brought agricultural labourers and locals together this time, and set up about 56 units of paddy fields by pooling together about 15 acres of land. He himself got to work with others, carried sheaves of seedlings from one field to another and also got engaged in tilling with the help of tractor. As a result barren land at Yermal has now turned lush green. 

India has always been dependent on agriculture, and Indian farming has a history of over 2,000 years. There was a time when Karnataka coast was known for exquisite varieties of paddy and rice. Harish notes that after the people resorted to other kinds of work and began to live independently instead of in joint families, farming lost its charm. He says that he is lured towards agriculture because of his fond past memories of working hard in fields in the face of hot climate, wind, rain, and lightning. He notes that in the past, people used to raise four to five crops a year but that cannot be brought back now because of shortage of irrigation and workers. He says that he volunteered to engage in agriculture to spread the message that the government is now fully supportive of agriculture, and that growing paddy is a profitable proposition if we involve sincerely in its cultivation. 

Shetty feels that one has to grow his own food. He says that if the government provides irrigational facilities, our future generations can again adopt agriculture as a means of living. For that to happen, the current generation should go ahead with paddy cultivation, in spite of minor hiccups they might encounter now and then, he says. He feels that even if the rainfall is not regular, alternative methods can be used to see that the crops do not fail. 

Harish Shetty has also been an efficient organizer at Mumbai. He is the convener of social worker, Gopal C Shetty (MP) Tulu Kannadiga Fans Club and a dedicated follower of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. He noted that the Modi government is contemplating fine of 6.5 percent on those farmers who allow their land to become barren, and pointed out that the farmers by filing requisite forms in the panchayat offices get Rs 6,000 annually from the government. He noted that those who are cultivating aged above sixty years of age are eligible for Rs 3,000 every month.