Karnataka to declare drought in Rabi crop season too

Agrarian distress continues in the state due to changes in rainfall patterns. 
Representational Image for a drought (File Photo: EPS)
Representational Image for a drought (File Photo: EPS)

BENGALURU: Agrarian distress continues in the state due to changes in rainfall patterns. After the extremes witnessed in the South-West monsoon season and the subsequent drought, all 30 districts of the State have received deficient rainfall in the North-East monsoon season too.

As a result, several districts especially the ones in North Interior Karnataka will be drought hit even during the Rabi season. With the State receiving only half the normal rainfall for the season till date, the State government is expected to announce the list of drought-hit taluks during the NE monsoon season too.

The cabinet sub-committee for drought, chaired by Revenue Minister RV Deshpande, which discussed deficit rainfall and the agricultural distress have also decided to announce the list of drought-hit taluks by the end of December. According to data available, this is the second time in three years when NE monsoon have been less by 40 per cent or more.

GS Srinivasa Reddy, Director, Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Cell, said that both the monsoon seasons were not favourable for the State. While Khariff crop failed in more than half the taluks of the State due to drought, around 50 taluks were also affected by floods due to torrential downpour. 
“With Rabi crop too expected to be hit by lack of rainfall, meetings have been carried out at the State government level. The State is likely to announce drought before the end of December,” he said.

SSM Gavaskar, scientist at KSNDMC said that delayed onset of NE monsoon was also one of the causes for deficit rainfall. “However, cyclonic activity in Bay of Bengal might reduce the deficit in the two remaining weeks of the season,” he added.

Some of the worst hit districts are Bengaluru Rural, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Koppala, Raichur, Yadgir, Bidar, Belagavi, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Gadag and Dharwad.

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