Amid deteriorating drought conditions in the Kalyana, Karnataka region, the chief minister of the state, D.K. Shivakumar, visited Kalaburagi, personally inspected the situation, and consulted with locals and representatives of local government bodies.
Amid growing distress among people, the chief minister guaranteed that the government would look for ways to help those in distress. The government would try to address public appeals, take measures within legal frameworks, and even look at the case of waiving loans to farmers to help overcome agrarian distress in the region.
Failure of the monsoon creates a crisis in planting and water supply
Due to the failure of the monsoon, agricultural activities in the region are facing a lot of trouble. At the end of June, only 69 mm of rain was recorded in Kalaburagi when the historical average rainfall was 107.3 mm, resulting in a deficit of 36%.
As a result, standard sowing activities, which are normally completed by the second week of July, have slowed down to an almost complete standstill. Out of the total target of 8.90 lakh hectares prescribed by the Agriculture Department, actual sowing was at just 30%, a steep fall from the 63% figure reported last year during the same time period.
Adding to the already existing problem, local water sources and rivers are completely dry, resulting in acute drinking water problems in several parts of the district. Since many farmers incurred significant debts in purchasing seeds and fertilisers in expectation of the rains, the financial burden has now become extremely heavy. In this context, the farmer unions are upping the ante for declaring Kalaburagi a drought-hit area.
High-level cabinet meeting formed to tackle El Niño fallout
In order to tackle the burgeoning crisis, Chief Minister Shivakumar has called for a high-level review meeting to study and address the aftermath of the El Niño phenomenon effectively.
The review meeting will comprise important cabinet members, who include:
- Deputy Chief Minister: G. Parameshwara
- Medical Education Minister: Dr. Sharan Prakash Patil
- Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister: Eshwar Khandre
As a result, standard sowing activities, which are normally completed by the second week of July, have slowed down to an almost complete standstill. Out of the total target of 8.90 lakh hectares prescribed by the Agriculture Department, actual sowing was at just 30%, a steep fall from the 63% figure reported last year during the same time period.
Adding to the already existing problem, local water sources and rivers are completely dry and have resulted in acute drinking water problems in several parts of the district. Since many farmers incurred significant debts in purchasing seeds and fertilizers in expectation of the rains, the financial burden has now become extremely heavy. In this context, the farmer unions are upping the ante for declaring Kalaburagi a drought-hit area.
Alternative crop advisory in agriculture
Agriculture Joint Director Samad Patel has given a clear advisory not to take any crop planting action unless sufficient rainfall occurs. Even with the ongoing drought, the agriculture department has said that there are still some opportunities left for alternative and sustainable crop rotations in case of changes in the weather.
With the upcoming discussion and review by the chief minister in mind, the district-in-charge minister, Priyank Kharge, has called for an emergency meeting with all officials from the Kalyana Karnataka region, urging them to prepare briefing documents based on hard facts.
“The meeting is being held to discuss the precautionary measures to be taken by the officials due to the prevailing drought-like situation. Various committees have been formed for the success of the programme conducted by the chief minister. The officials should work more responsibly without breaching protocol,” Minister Kharge stated.
The mobilisation meeting was attended by high-level civil and police leaders of the region such as North Eastern Region DIGP Shantanu Sinha, Deputy Commissioner Ikram Shariff, City Police Commissioner S.D. Sharanappa, SP Addur Srinivasulu, Zilla Panchayat CEO Rahul Sankanur, and Kalaburagi City Corporation Commissioner Avinash Shinde, along with other forestry and administrative representatives.
Apart from seeking aid for the region, both local leaders and residents are also calling on the state executive to establish diplomatic channels with the adjoining state of Maharashtra and seek water from the Ujjani Dam in the drought-ridden region.
