Hassan district in-charge minister KM Shivalingegowda and DC Latha Kumari explain drought issues to the central team at a village in Arasikere taluk
She said ragi was cultivated across around 31,000 hectares, of which nearly 28,000 hectares had suffered complete crop loss. Hassan recorded rainfall deficits of 68% in July and 69% in Aug, she said. Farmers began sowing after limited rainfall in July, but only 3% of the targeted sowing was completed by the end of Aug. He said rainfall this year was 85% to 90% below normal in parts of the district. At Sakkare in Dharmapura, farmer Thirumalappa told officials he had spent Rs 86,893 to cultivate groundnut on 2.5 acres, only to see the crop dry up. He estimated his loss at nearly Rs 1 lakh.
In Arasikere, the team visited Mallapura, Banavara and neighbouring villages, where it inspected withered crops and land left uncultivated due to lack of rainfall. Coconut, a major commercial crop in the taluk, has suffered extensive damage due to moisture deficiency, district in-charge minister KM Shivalingegowda told the team.
Shivalingegowda said drought has severely affected agriculture, dairy farming and drinking water availability, and urged Centre to provide relief to farmers. it remains inadequate for drinking water and livestock needs, while drying borewells have further aggravated the crisis in rural areas, he said Although water is being supplied from Hemavathi reservoir. “This is not a political issue,” he said.
At a review meeting at her office, district deputy commissioner KS Latha Kumari presented details of rainfall deficiency and crop losses. “Under the federal system, it is the Centre’s responsibility to support states facing distress. Meanwhile, a team led by Ajit Kumar Sahu, joint secretary, Union agriculture ministry, visited villages in Davanagere and Chitradurga districts and assessed the extent of distress.