MYSORE: With no rains for the past 40 days and continued water scarcity, the district administration and Chamarajnagar Zilla Panchayat, on Monday, declared Chamarajanagar district as drought hit. The district administration demanded the government to release compensation for the farming community after the revenue and agriculture department reported an estimated crop loss worth Rs 54 crore.
The prolonged dry spell has affected sowing across the district.
Crops such as jawar, ragi, sunflower and pulses have suffered in both Chamarajnagar and Gundlupet taluks.
Farmers in Kollegal taluk have not begun sowing activities as the district has not received any rainfall since June 8. Although, the Chamarajnagar district has received 273 mm rains as against normal rain fall of 312 mm; the rains, at best, have been scattered and untimely.
According to authorities, sowing has been done in 73,000 hectares as against the target of 1.49 lakh hectares.
Officials of the Revenue and Agriculture department that crops in about 29 thousand hectares have completely dried up, causing a loss of Rs 54 crore. Farmers have taken up sowing of jowar in 16708 acres ,sunflower in 10819 acres, ground nut in 6661 acres, tur in 280 acres and pulses in more than 1125 acres.
Deputy Commissioner Manojkumar Meena said that the district administration had sought a relief of Rs 54 crore from the government to compensate for the crop loss.
Meanwhile, members of the Chamarajnagar Zilla Panchayat alleged that there were lapses in crop insurance scheme and delay in payment of insurance money.
Former Minister and MLA H S Mahadeva Prasad urged the government to depute a team to visit Chamarajnagar district and analyse the drought situation.