Karnataka: Coronavirus gives new lease of life to uncultivated land in undivided Dakshina Kannada

MANGALURU: The homecoming of several people from undivided Dakshina Kannada living abroad and other parts of the country in the wake of the global pandemic has given a new lease of life to uncultivated land here.
Arun Shetty, resident of Nailady in Udupi taluk and his family members, after their return from different parts of the country, have come together to grow crops in their ancestral land that had remained uncultivated for years.
Like Arun, many others who had left the coastal district to find greener pastures have returned home — some have lost their jobs while others are working from home. “Soon after completion of graduation in Bhandarkars’ Arts and Science College, my siblings and cousins moved to Bengaluru, Maharashtra, Dubai, Bahrain and other places for work.
The nationwide lockdown motivated us to resume cultivation, which we were involved in before moving out. Now we are all working in paddy fields had remained barren for several years. There are no signs of going back to work for a few months and this is the best thing to do,” said Arun.
He had worked in Bahrain for a decade and later moved to Bengaluru and set up a hotel in the city. Lockdown forced him to discontinue the operations and now he is firm about no returning to the city. “I am not continuing my business activities and my next role is to transform myself as an agriculturist,” he said.
Sreenath and Sampath Kumar, residents of Marody in Belthangady taluk, who returned from Mumbai, are busy maintaining their agricultural land. The youngsters said they help their farmers de-husk areca nuts and do other jobs in their free time. “We are now employed,” they said.
Fifty-eight-year-old Sundara Poojary who worked in Maharashtra for almost three decades said his age does not permit him to return to the financial capital. He is thinking of sowing seeds this season in his fields and settling down in his village. “The uncertainty over the pandemic has made me go back to Mother Nature,” he added.
Officials from the department of agriculture, Udupi said there has been an upward trend when it comes to paddy cultivation. While every year, 4,000 -4,500 farmers procure paddy seeds, this season 5,850 farmers have already approached and purchased the seeds, they said.
Last year, 720 quintals of paddy seeds were distributed in Dakshina Kannada. This season, 680 quintals of paddy seeds have sold out of 740 quintal stock available and there is demand for additional 100 quintal paddy seeds, they added.