Led by State vice-president Mallikarjun Satyampet, members of the Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha’s district unit recently met with Deputy Commissioner Harshal Bhoyar. During their meeting, they presented a formal memorandum directly to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urgently requesting comprehensive loan waivers and substantial compensation for their devastating crop losses.
Farmers reported that torrential rainfall, which recently pounded the district, has utterly destroyed standing crops across an estimated one lakh hectares of agricultural land. The scale of the destruction is immense, impacting countless livelihoods.
Many farmers expressed profound despair, realizing they might not even recover half of what they invested in preparing their fields, sowing seeds, and applying essential chemicals and fertilizers. The financial burden and emotional toll are heavy.
The farmers are calling on the State government to act swiftly. Their key demands include officially declaring the rain-battered regions as flood-affected zones, promptly announcing compensation packages tailored to the extent of crop damage, and implementing immediate waivers for all agricultural loans they have taken.
Furthermore, they urged the government to establish procurement centers without delay, ensuring that any surviving crops, such as cotton, red gram, bajra, green chili, and paddy, are purchased at fair, fixed prices, providing a crucial safety net for those who managed to salvage some produce.
Addressing concerns about future harvests, particularly for rabi crops in rain-fed areas, the farmers pressed for an immediate meeting of the Irrigation Consultation Committee (ICC). They seek a firm decision to guarantee adequate water release for seasonal crops, emphasizing the need for proactive planning.
The farmers highlighted a grim reality: year after year, the district grapples with either severe drought or devastating floods, a relentless cycle of natural calamities. They stressed that both the Union and State governments must prioritize resolving the systemic crises plaguing the agricultural sector. This includes implementing scientific pricing mechanisms for farm produce, which they believe is vital to prevent farmer suicides. They warned that without significant intervention, their protests and agitations would only grow more intense.