Central team visits drought-hit farms in Hassan

A Central team of officials visited drought-stricken farms in Hassan taluk on Saturday to gauge the impact of the ongoing drought on local crops. Led by Sudam Bag, Deputy Commissioner of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, the team toured maize fields and spoke with farmers in Dudda, Kittinakere, Gowripura, Chikkakadaluru and nearby villages.

At Dudda, they met Javarayya and Dyavamma to gather information on the damage to maize and ragi crops, as well as the impact on coconut yields. The farmers reported that their crops had been destroyed due to the lack of rainfall, with maize failing to form grains and the remaining produce being unsuitable for cattle fodder.

Lok Sabha member Shreyas Patel joined the team, informing them about the hardships faced by farmers in the district. Accompanied by senior officials such as Deputy Commissioner K.S. Lathakumari, Zilla Panchayat CEO Shubham Shukla, and department heads from various ministries, the team also included Ashish Pandey, Deputy Adviser of Drinking Water and Sanitation; Pradeep Kumar, Under Secretary of Food and Public Distribution; and Karan Chaudhar, Deputy Director of Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre. On Sunday, the group will expand their investigations to Arasikere and Holenarsipur taluks.