Rains: Crop loss pegged at Rs 550 crore, says CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Karnataka is estimated to have suffered crop losses to the tune of Rs 550 crore due to heavy rainfall, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday, adding that 111 persons have died since April this year.

After reviewing the rain situation, Siddaramaiah said farmers in the state have suffered crop losses on 5.20 lakh hectares. Of this, 99% of losses are in districts like Kalaburagi, Dharwad, Bidar, Belagavi, Bagalkot, Haveri and Vijayapura.

“The damage is estimated at Rs 550 crore. A joint survey has been ordered. We have asked for the report within 10 days,” Siddaramaiah said.

For crop losses during pre-monsoon, the government has paid Rs 21.93 crore to 20,244 farmers.

Between April 1 and September 7, as many as 111 people have died due to rain-induced flooding. “All of them have been given compensation at Rs 5 lakh each. The government has provided Rs 5.5 crore compensation in total,” Siddaramaiah said.

At least 1,110 animals died in the same period with the government having paid Rs 1.52 crore as compensation.

A total of 9,738 houses have been hit (651 completely damaged and 9,087 partially damaged). The government has provided Rs 24 crore in financial assistance to these families.

Since June, public infrastructure has suffered damage due to heavy rainfall, including 683 km of state highways, 1,383 km of major district roads, 5,558 km of village roads, 656 bridges/culverts, 1,877 schools, 160 primary health centres, 1,018 anganwadis, 25,279 electric poles and so on.

Rain forecast

Siddaramaiah said the state may receive more rainfall this month according to forecasts.

“From June 1 to September first week, the state has received 753 mm rainfall against the normal of 721 mm,” Siddaramaiah said.

All districts, except Chamarajanagar, have received normal or excess rainfall. “There is drought in Chamarajanagar where the rainfall deficit is 24%. According to the Union government’s norms, rainfall deficit below 19% cannot be considered as drought,” Siddaramaiah said.

The total gross storage in 14 major reservoirs in Karnataka is 840.52 tmcft, which is 94% of the capacity, according to Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda.

Water for only one crop

Siddaramaiah said the government can release water to irrigate only the primary crops of farmers in the Tungabhadra basin. “It won’t be possible to release water for the second crop,” he said. The process of replacing eight out of the 32 crest gates is underway, he added.