Burnt crops bare Kanke's furnace

Two village kids walk past the dry check dam on a scorching afternoon

Ranchi, May 30: Serene, cool and green. That was Kanke’s past perfect even in extreme summer. The region, around 10 kilometers from the state capital in Ranchi today is boiling because of an unprecedented rise in mercury levels.

Water bodies in form of perennial streams, check dams or small ponds have choked in patches while a canopy of dust storm engulfs almost all in the whole region because of myriad forms of civil works that are underway.

What’s more shocking about the place in 2012, is that majority of the farm lands have either turned pale or spot burnt look because of the blistering heat.

On Wednesday (May 30) It temperature was 41.3 degrees. It is also the highest it witnessed at least in the last four years. In 2008, the temperature here on May 30 was 33.8 degrees.

I visited several areas in Kanke like Sangrampur, Patratu and adjoining areas en route only to discover how both local and global climatic changes have led to shrinkage of summer crops here, thereby, pushing farmers into doldrums.

A view of sun burnt cauliflower farm 

“My entire crop has burnt under the sun. I don’t know what to do now,” remarked Anand Linda, a farmer in Patratu in this block. Anand took cauliflower, tomato, brinjal, and cucumber on his four acres of land but majority of the field are deserted now.

The nearby check dam from where he used to fetch water too is dried this time.

Forty year old Pahan Munda too is suffering similar fate but more than complaining about the weather, he is upset by the government’s apathy and rising prices. “Heat is normal in summer but still there is availability of water in the nearby pond. Since there is no electricity here, irrigation facility has failed,” he said.

Cost of farming has also gone up, he added. “I am surviving because kharif harvest was good due to better monsoon this time. Otherwise, I would have committed suicide,” said Munda.

Birsa Agriculture University professor A. Wadood said Kanke has been witnessing 40 degree plus temperatures in summer since couple of years now but what’s concerning this time is the continuation of the heightened mercury levels.

“Till last year, Kanke has seen 40 plus degrees but for a day or two. But since May 19, the place witnessed over 40 degrees. As a result there is moisture in the area that helps in creation of clouds for rain,” he said.

Pahan Munda, a farmer showing his destroyed crops

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