Former Karnataka minister and Gadag MLA HK Patil has raised fresh concerns over the way the state administration is assessing drought conditions, particularly in northern Karnataka.
Patil has written to Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, alleging that some officials are not properly following government directions while assessing the situation faced by farmers. He has called for a closer review of the available rainfall and crop related information before decisions are finalised.
The issue has become particularly important in Gadag, where Patil has already warned that he would resign from his Assembly seat if the taluk is not declared drought affected. On September 20, he reiterated the warning while addressing farmers during a bandh in Mulagund, according to a report published the same day.
In his latest communication, Patil has questioned the reliability of some rainfall measurements being used in the drought assessment. He has alleged that information from rainfall monitoring stations is being relied upon without adequately reflecting the actual conditions on the ground.
Patil has also raised concerns about crop insurance related data collection. According to his allegations, officials are not giving sufficient importance to directions issued by the Chief Minister and are instead relying on their own assessment methods. He has argued that this could result in the actual difficulties faced by farmers being overlooked.
Another concern raised by Patil relates to the meetings conducted under the leadership of district in charge ministers. He has alleged that decisions taken during such meetings, as well as discussions held in meetings chaired by the Chief Minister, have not been properly followed by some officials.
He has also pointed to delays in communication between government offices. According to his complaint, important letters and information sent to senior officials sometimes remain unattended for several days. He has cited instances where correspondence sent through postal channels takes many days to reach offices in Bengaluru.
The larger issue is the drought situation being reported across parts of northern Karnataka. Patil has argued that rainfall shortages need to be examined alongside local geographical conditions rather than relying only on a single set of measurements.
Much of northern Karnataka has black soil, which behaves differently depending on the intensity and distribution of rainfall. Patil has said that heavy rain concentrated within a short period does not necessarily mean that sufficient moisture remains in the soil for crops, particularly when much of the water runs off.
He has therefore called for the drought declaration guidelines to be reviewed so that local conditions are taken into account while assessing agricultural distress.
Patil has also demanded that 27 taluks which he says have been left outside the drought affected list despite facing serious rainfall shortages should be reconsidered. He has urged the government to examine these areas again and provide relief where the prescribed conditions are met.
The demand comes as the state government itself has been reviewing the drought situation. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said in early September that 101 taluks had already been declared drought affected and that additional taluks would be considered within 15 days.
A separate report from August also said the government was assessing severe drought conditions in 102 taluks and considering a report for submission to the Centre. The Chief Minister had also indicated that he would visit drought affected areas.
Against this backdrop, Patil’s criticism focuses not only on the number of taluks declared drought affected but also on how the assessment itself is carried out.
For farmers, the classification has practical importance because drought recognition can determine the availability of government relief and other support measures. This makes accurate rainfall records, crop assessments and timely administrative decisions particularly significant during a difficult agricultural season.
Patil has asked the government to intervene and ensure that officials follow the directions issued by the elected administration. He has also urged authorities to consider the ground situation while reviewing drought related data.
The government has indicated that further taluks may be added after the assessment process is completed. The coming weeks are therefore expected to bring more clarity on the areas that will receive drought affected status and the assistance available to farmers.
