SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Gadag: Congress MLA H.K. Patil has issued an ultimatum to the Karnataka government over the demand to declare Gadag taluk drought-hit, saying he will resign from the Assembly if the status is not granted by October 10.
Patil made the announcement while speaking at Mulagund, where he highlighted the concerns of farmers over the continuing rainfall deficit. He said the situation in Gadag had been assessed by officials and discussed at meetings involving elected representatives and the district administration.
According to Patil, Gadag taluk has experienced a 49 per cent shortfall in rainfall. He said the extent of the deficit warranted its inclusion in the drought-hit category and questioned the government’s decision to leave the taluk out of the list.
The MLA recalled that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had visited the region and inspected crops between Kadampur and Kurtakoti after receiving reports about the prevailing conditions. Patil said the chief minister’s field visit had further highlighted the difficulties faced by farmers.
Despite the assessment and inspection, Gadag had not been included in the drought list, Patil said. He accused the government of delaying a decision and said farmers had begun expressing their anger through protests.
Gives govt has till Oct 10 to declare Gadag drought-hit
Patil said he would continue to pursue the issue through the Assembly and seek a formal declaration of Gadag as drought-hit. He gave the government time until October 10 to act.
“If Gadag is not declared a drought-hit taluk by then, I will resign as MLA,” he said.
Patil also said his association with a farming family enabled him to understand the difficulties faced by cultivators during periods of inadequate rainfall. He maintained that farmers should not be left without drought-related support when crop conditions deteriorate.
The issue comes as Karnataka continues to face rainfall shortages in several regions. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had recently warned of worsening drought conditions, saying more than 200 of the state’s 239 taluks were facing drought-like conditions and that additional areas would be assessed under Central government guidelines.
Patil’s deadline has now put the Gadag drought declaration at the centre of a fresh political and farmers’ demand in the district.
SOURCE : SIASAT
