Dharwad: JD(S) district president Gururaj Hunasimarad has urged the state govt to immediately declare Dharwad district drought-hit and provide relief to farmers, alleging that the district has been ignored despite severe drought conditions.
Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, he said the govt declared 101 taluks drought-hit, but none from Dharwad were included. “Drought conditions have developed in 13 districts of north Karnataka, but chief minister DK Shivakumar appears concerned only about south Karnataka. Hunasimarad claimed that nearly 85% of crops in Dharwad district had dried up due to the weak southwest monsoon.
The declaration was made without properly assessing the ground situation in north Karnataka,” he said. Farmers are already facing severe hardship, while the continuing rain deficit is now threatening the upcoming rabi season as well, he said. Excluding the district despite widespread crop losses caused by deficient rainfall showed the govt’s anti-farmer attitude, he alleged.