Samyukta Horata wants Kalaburagi to be declared drought-hit

The Samyukta Horata Karnataka has demanded that the government of Karnataka immediately declare Kalaburagi district as drought-hit, and provide compensation of ₹30,000 per acre to farmers who are facing losses due to the failure of the southwest monsoon .

Addressing a joint press conference in Kalaburagi on July 16, Samyukta Horata Karnataka convener Sharanabasappa Mammashetty said that the delayed and deficient rainfall had severely affected agricultural activities in the district. As of July 16, sowing operations for the kharif season had not progressed as expected, leaving farmers who had invested in seeds and agricultural inputs in distress, he said.

He said the fall in groundwater levels and the drying up of the Bhima river had aggravated the drinking water crisis for people and livestock. “Even as the situation has turned critical, the government has failed to take immediate steps to provide relief to farmers,” he alleged.