Gadag farmers continue to wait for crop compensation

Dharwad: The untimely rain that lashed the four districts of Mumbai-Karnataka region continuously for four days in the third week of November had shattered the hopes of farmers who were expecting some recovery from the loss they suffered in August and September.
Of all the four districts, Dharwad had suffered maximum loss followed by Gadag, Haveri and Belagavi.
As per preliminary estimates, crops worth Rs 300 crore were damaged in the region.The report says cotton and red chilli crops have suffered severe damage, followed by Bengal gram, maize, jowar and paddy.
Cotton growers continue to face the brunt of rains as BT cotton grown in parts of Dharwad, Navalgund, Kundgol, Mulgund, Mundargi, Nargund taluks have lost golden yield. Bengal gram too has been lost in 40,000 hectares. In Athani, grape plantations in 500 hectare too have been damaged.
Farmers rued that so far only a small percentage of farmers have received compensation while for nearly 95% of farmers, particularly in Gadag district, the relief has been elusive.
In Dharwad district, Rs 74.4 crore compensation has been disbursed to 93,401 farmers who have incurred crop damage. This is thanks to the interest evinced by sugar and textile minister Shankar Patil Munenakopp who was the minister in-charge of Dharwad district. But the same enthusiasm is not seen from other ministers and legislators in Gadag district.
Nearly 99% of farmers who suffered crop loss due to heavy rains in the district are yet to get compensation for kharif season 2021, said Somanagouda Patil of Ron taluk.
“We lost agricultural crops like groundnut and maize and horticulture crops chilli and onion. The government has fixed compensation of Rs 6,800 per hectare for agricultural crops. Revenue officials say they have done their job by uploading the information regarding the extent of loss suffered by farmers as per the recommendation of agriculture and horticulture officials. But till date, only 2% of farmers have received compensation and that too not more than Rs 500 each,” said Somanagouda.
The situation is similar in other taluks of Gadag district. Farmers from Gadag, Mundargi, Shirahatti and Nargund taluks echoed the same complaint and blamed elected representatives for not bothering about farmers.
“Our elected representatives, irrespective of their political affiliation, are busy fighting for their own cause and have neglected the electorate,” said Basanagouda of Itagi village in Ron taluk. Now, agriculture minister BC Patil has been appointed as district minister of Gadag and it is to be seen if he will come to rescue of farmers.
The farmers, who had insured against crop loss, said the crop insurance has become a mirage as there is no one to listen to their woes. Allegations are loud that elected representatives are hand in glove with insurance companies and together they are cheating farmers.