Karnataka farmers pour their woes to Central Team

Belagavi/Gadag: The harsh realities of the drought crisis were laid bare by farmers during the visit of Central assessment teams to their villages on Friday. Each farmer had a heartrending tale to share with the team of officials.

While the team led by Agriculture Ministry Joint Secretary Ajeet Kumar Sahu visited Belagavi and Vijayapura districts, a team led by Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation Additional Advisor D Rajashekhar toured Gadag and Koppal districts on Friday.

In Belagavi district, a range of crops including soybean, cotton, sunflower, carrot, maize, sugarcane, tomato, and peas have borne the brunt of drought.
The team visited villages located in Bailhongal, Savadatti, Yarahatti, and Ramadurga.

Basappa Kuntigeri from Bailhongal recounted the distressing experience before the team.
 
"Each acre of carrot cultivation incurred expenses of about Rs 52,000. Unfortunately, the drought has decimated the crops" he narrated.

Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil informed the central team that in the Nesargi region alone, 295 hectares of carrots were sown, and subsequently destroyed.

"Each of us planted about five to six acres of carrots, and we are now facing a crisis due to the crop losses," the distressed farmers who gathered stated.
 
"The soybean yield was anticipated to be 10-12 quintals per acre. However, due to the absence of rain, everything has been lost. Although the land looks green after recent showers, there is no yield," Kamalavva Nadahatti, a farmer, lamented.
 
Team head Ajeet Kumar Sahu spoke to the farmers and collected information regarding crop insurance payouts, seed and fertilizer costs, and labor expenses.

DC Nitesh Patil provided an overview of the situation in the district, illustrating the extensive crop damage through comprehensive data and photographs.

The district has suffered significant losses in both horticulture and agriculture, amounting to 2.78 lakh hectares in total. According to NDRF guidelines, this translates to a loss of Rs 332 crore. A memorandum has already been submitted to the Central government in this regard.

Out of the 15 taluks in the district, except for Belagavi and Khanapur, the remaining 13 have been declared drought-hit. The sowing season was severely delayed due to the prolonged absence of rainfall, leading to a drought situation. The state government formally declared a drought situation in August.

The Deputy Commissioner apprised the officials of the severe drought situation in all 13 taluks, outlining crop damage, water scarcity, fodder shortages, and the measures taken to address the crisis.

Karnataka State Agriculture Department Commissioner YS Patil mentioned that water had to be supplied via tankers in many villages due to the lack of rain in June and July.

In Gadag district, where regular rainfall has been conspicuously absent during the current kharif season, the central team led by D Rajashekhar undertook a survey of the affected agricultural areas in Lakshmeshwar, Shirahatti, and Gadag taluks.

They visited various villages and inspected crops including paddy, chili, groundnut, onion, and cotton, which have been adversely affected by the drought.

During a briefing at the Circuit House, Deputy Commissioner Vyshali ML outlined the dire situation, emphasizing the district's below-average rainfall and the plight of farmers.

Gadag district experienced a 54 percent rainfall deficit in June and a 62 percent deficit in August. The state government had already declared six of the seven taluks in Gadag district, excluding Mundargi, as severely drought-hit.

Out of the six taluks in the district, where horticulture crops were sown across 62,132 hectares (constituting 89.88 percent of the total area), onion was sown in 21,337 hectares, chili in 40,350 hectares, and tomato in 445 hectares. Sadly, all these crops have been completely devastated due to the lack of rain.

In accordance with the National Disaster Management Authority's guidelines, the total damage to crops in Gadag district amounted to Rs 21,553.22 lakh (agriculture department: Rs 16,061.44 lakh; horticulture: Rs 5491.78 lakh).

The DC said that the groundwater level has also plummeted significantly due to the severe rainfall shortage, making it challenging to provide water to both people and livestock.

06-10-mgl-drought-belagavi-1 and 2: The central team interacting with the farmers in Belagavi district.
06-10-mgl-drought-gadag-1 and 2 : The central team interacting with the farmers in Gadag district.