Yadgir farmers demand immediate relief for crop lost to torrential rain

District unit members of the Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha, led by its State vice-president Mallikarjun Satyampet, met Deputy Commissioner Harshal Bhoyar and submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanding loan waiver and compensation for crop loss.

They stated that standing crops in over a lakh hectares of agricultural land have been completely destroyed owing to copious rainfall that lashed the district recently.

They said that farmers have lost hope of getting even half the returns of what they spent for preparation of land, sowing and spraying chemicals and fertilisers.

The State government should immediately take steps to declare the areas hit by downpour as flood-affected and announce compensation for distressed farmers considering crop loss and also waive loans they have themselves availed of.

They demanded that procurement centres be opened to purchase the remaining crops such as cotton, red gram, bajra, green chilli and paddy at fixed prices.

Highlighting water scarcity for rabi crops in rain-fed land, the farmers demanded that an Irrigation Consultation Committee (ICC) meeting be called immediately and announce a decision taken to ensure sufficient water release for seasonal crops.

“The farmers in the district are affected either by drought or floods every year due to natural phenomenon. The Union and State governments should focus on solving crises being faced by the agrarian sector by fixing scientific prices for farm produce, particularly to curb farmer suicide,” they said and added that farmers will intensify their agitations otherwise.