Hassan: A central assessment team concluded its two-day inspection of drought-hit areas in Hassan district Sunday, assessing crop losses, fodder shortages and hardships faced by farmers amid severe rainfall deficiency.The team, comprising Sudham Bag, Ashish Pandey, Pradeep Kumar and Karan Chowdhary, visited villages in Arasikere and Holenarasipur taluks on Sunday besides inspecting agricultural fields in Dudda, Hassan taluk, on Saturday.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.At a review meeting at her office, district deputy commissioner KS Latha Kumari presented details of rainfall deficiency and crop losses. 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. Attempts at fresh sowing in Sept also failed due to the absence of subsequent rainfall, resulting in widespread crop losses.The drought has also caused a fodder shortage affecting more than 10,000 livestock in the district. Farmers, despite paying crop insurance premiums, are now seeking immediate financial assistance to cope with the losses.Shivalingegowda said drought has severely affected agriculture, dairy farming and drinking water availability, and urged Centre to provide relief to farmers.He said rainfall this year was 85% to 90% below normal in parts of the district. Although water is being supplied from Hemavathi reservoir, it remains inadequate for drinking water and livestock needs, while drying borewells have further aggravated the crisis in rural areas, he said.“This is not a political issue,” he said. “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. 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 nearby fields, the team inspected stunted maize and cotton crops, where farmers said groundwater levels had fallen sharply. Nagaraj, another farmer, had already cut his failed groundnut crop to use as cattle fodder. Retired principal and farmer Tippayya said he spent Rs 62,025 on pigeon pea across 10 acres, but the plants had not developed pods.The team also reviewed maize, papaya, coconut, horse gram and cucumber fields, desilting works, household tap connections and a govt cattle shelter. At Raitha Bhavan, farmers submitted petitions seeking compensation of Rs 40,000 per hectare, or at least Rs 20,000 per acre. Some urged the govt to declare the district permanently drought-prone.A team will visit Koppal on Monday and conduct a ground-level assessment.
