摘要：In this study, negative externality due to distillery pollution on agriculture in Kabini command in Nanjanagudu taluk, Mysore District is estimated. The spent wash let in lagoons enables settling heavy metals to infiltrate soils, gradually affecting soil and health. The distillery opened during 1985 and farmers apparently began experiencing the negative externalities due to pollution from 1995. The groundwater extracted for irrigation was the first victim of distillery pollution rendering it unfit even for irrigation purposes. Paddy, sugarcane, Banana, Jowar, Mulberry, Coconut, Ragi are the major crops being grown in this command area. For this study, all the 35 distillery pollution affected farmers in the Distillery Dffluent Polluted Villages (DEPA, comprising Geekalli, Goluru) are selected. As a control, 35 farmers who were located in Devarasanahalli in the Kabini command area, but who are away from the distillery pollution area are studied. The major effect of groundwater pollution is the downward shift in sugarcane area due to pollution to the tune of 60 percent in DEPA. Area under paddy did not alter after pollution. Thus, farmers considered paddy to be the only crop which can tolerate / withstand, pollution levels. Crop diversity in terms of area under crops like tomato, ragi, jower, cucumber and banana increased in DEPA as the farmers shifted from sugarcane. In the control village, major crops grown are paddy and sugarcane due to assured supply of good quality of water through out year, and these occupied 20 and 50 per cent of the area respectively.
