GADAG: Former minister and Gadag MLA HK Patil on Sunday warned that he will resign from his Assembly seat if Gadag taluk is not declared drought-hit by October 10. He was talking to farmers protesting against the taluk being left out of the drought-hit list by blocking a state highway connecting Karwar-Kaiga and Gadag-Ilkal near Mulgund town of Gadag district. Patil met the protesting farmers and said he will pressurise the government by resigning from the MLA post if Gadag taluk is not declared drought hit.
He asked why the taluk is not included in the list despite Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s visit. “Led by the district in-charge minister and MLAs, we met district officials. We had a clear picture of the severe drought conditions in the district. Following a report by officials, the CM visited the area and inspected the crops from Kadampur to Kurtakoti villages. Despite all this, why has Gadag taluk not been declared drought-hit? Who is obstructing this,” he asked.
He noted that Gadag taluk has faced a severe rainfall deficit of 49%. “The injustice and betrayal of farmers cannot be tolerated. I come from a farmer family and stand with farmers. I understand their problems. I will make every effort at the government level to get Gadag taluk declared drought-hit. If it is not done by October 10, I will resign from the MLA post,” he said.
On North Karnataka’s drought situation, he said, “North Karnataka has 73 taluks, of which 27 have been excluded from the drought list. All those taluks too should be included in the list immediately. Unnecessary politics should not be mixed into this. If it is politically motivated, I can break it.”
Patil has written a three-page letter to Chief minister DK Shivakumar, mentioning how the failure of southwest monsoon and super El Nino has affected green gram, groundnut, cotton, onion and other crops. Gadag district received only 50% of rain, leading to 86% crop loss, he has written.