HUBLI: Basavaraj Bommai, MLC and Chairman of the State Janata Dal (United) Parliamentary Board, has urged the State Government to announce a relief package for farmers in the rain-affected districts of Dharwad, Haveri and Gadag.

In a letter to Agriculture Minister K. Srinivasa Gowda, Mr. Bommai said farmers continue to be victims of the vagaries of nature as rainfall has taken its toll after three years of drought. While some kharif crops have been completely damaged in the rain, there has been considerable decrease in the yield of other crops, he added.

Mr. Bommai stressed the need to order a survey to assess the crop loss and provide compensation to farmers. He noted that the guidelines to provide compensation should be modified and crop loans waived. Simultaneously, the Government should also arrange for the supply of seeds, fertilizers and credit for rabi sowing, he said.

Mr. Bommai noted that the yield of groundnut, which has been sown in Dharwad district in 40,000 hectares of land, has dropped by 45 per cent. The yield of maize sown in 32,000 hectares of land in the district has come down by half. Cotton, which has been sown in 18,000 hectares, has been damaged in the rain along with soya bean sown in 22,000 hectares of land in the district, he said.

The MLC noted that in Gadag district, the Tungabhadra is in spate and has damaged maize, onion, green gram, groundnut and paddy crops in Gadag, Mundargi and Shirahatti taluks. In Ron and Nargund, the release of excess water from the Malaprabha reservoir has damaged jowar, sunflower and cotton crops, he added.

In Haveri district, excessive moisture has damaged maize on 30,000 hectares of the 1.3 lakh hectares under the crop. In the remaining areas, the crop loss has been estimated at 60 per cent, he said. The drop in the yield for groundnut sown in 40,000 hectares has been 70 per cent, he added.

Green gram sown in 25,000 hectares has been damaged in the rain while onion, which was grown in 20,000 hectares in Haveri and Ranebennur, has been washed away, he said. The Varada is in spate and has submerged 1,500 hectares of land in Savanur, Haveri and Hangal taluks, he added.

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