Karnataka’s drought situation has worsened, with the total number of drought-affected taluks in the state rising to 177, Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara said on Tuesday.
The government has added 53 more taluks to the drought-hit list after continued assessment of rainfall, crop conditions and other prescribed parameters. This takes the total number of drought-affected taluks to 177, with nearly 73 per cent of the state now coming under drought conditions.
The number could rise further as the government continues to monitor the situation, Parameshwara told the Legislative Council. He said more taluks could be included in the next phase depending on ground conditions and the extent of rainfall deficiency and crop damage.
The state had initially declared 101 taluks drought-hit in the first phase. Another 23 were subsequently added, taking the number to 124. With the latest addition of 53 taluks, the figure has now risen to 177.
The government is following the drought declaration guidelines issued by the Union government in 2020, Parameshwara said. The guidelines prescribe various parameters, including rainfall deficiency and crop conditions, for declaring an area drought-hit.
“Declaring all taluks drought-hit at once without meeting the prescribed criteria could create difficulties in securing relief from the Union government,” he said.
Karnataka has recorded 642 mm of rainfall against its normal average of around 852 mm, resulting in an overall rainfall deficit of 36 per cent.
The deficit has been particularly severe in the interior regions. South Interior Karnataka has recorded a 46 per cent deficit, while North Interior Karnataka has recorded a 44 per cent deficit. The Malnad region has recorded a 38 per cent deficit and the coastal region 28 per cent.
The erratic rainfall has also affected sowing operations and crops. Parameshwara said farmers had begun sowing after the rains arrived initially, but the rainfall stopped soon afterwards, leaving germinated crops to dry up.
In several areas, farmers attempted sowing a second time when the rains returned. However, those crops too were damaged because of inadequate rainfall, he said.
The government is comparing the present situation with previous severe drought years and monitoring the conditions across the state. Parameshwara said the assessment would continue and the number of drought-hit taluks could eventually approach 200 if the situation deteriorates further.
He said the government had a responsibility to ensure that farmers received relief, while also adhering to the criteria prescribed by the Centre.
The drought discussion took place during the special session of the Karnataka Legislature, where the Kasturirangan report on the Western Ghats was also taken up for discussion.
Parameshwara urged members of both the ruling and Opposition parties to set aside political differences and arrive at a consensus on the two issues, which he described as important to Karnataka’s interests.
The state government is also required to submit its views to the Centre on the seventh draft of the Kasturirangan report within the stipulated period. Parameshwara said the government wanted the views of legislators to be discussed in the House before a final position was conveyed to the Centre.
States currently estimated losses due to the drought are around 18000 crore, and the state is seeking immediate assistance of ₹3,500 crore from the Centre. It is estimated that the total number of drought-affected talukas will go upto 200.
