Ballari district is grappling with a significant rainfall deficit and extensive crop damage, as revealed by recent field inspections. The inspections showed that 71,756.5 hectares of crops have been affected, including 67,236.5 hectares of agricultural crops and 4,520 hectares of horticultural crops. This alarming situation was discussed in a meeting on drought management held on Saturday, chaired by Ballari district in-charge Secretary Trilok Chandra K. V.
During the meeting, Chandra directed officials to keep a vigilant watch on the drought conditions and ensure that both people and livestock have adequate access to drinking water and fodder. The meeting took place at the new district administration complex in Ballari, with officials instructed to implement timely measures in both urban and rural areas.
Ballari Deputy Commissioner K. Nagendra Prasad provided a briefing on the rainfall deficit, stating that the district received only 186.3 mm of rainfall during the southwest monsoon from June 1 to September 30. This figure is significantly lower than the normal 365.6 mm, marking a 49% deficit. Sandur taluk was particularly hard-hit, experiencing a 68% shortfall, while Kampli taluk recorded a 65% deficit. The lack of rainfall has also led to a considerable drop in groundwater levels, with Sandur witnessing a decline of up to 8.26 meters.
The crop damage assessment revealed that more than 50% of the plots surveyed suffered damage, affecting 96.87% of the total area. Siruguppa taluk emerged as the most affected area, with 44,231.6 hectares impacted, followed by Sandur with 20,278 hectares. In response to the crisis, the district administration has sought approximately ₹79.91 crore in assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund norms.
Prasad mentioned that efforts are underway to enter farmers’ details into the Parihara software for relief distribution. A total of 50,828 farmers in the district have registered under the crop insurance scheme for the kharif season, which is expected to provide some financial relief.
Officials reported that out of 1,874 borewells in rural areas, 204 have temporarily become non-functional due to reduced water yield. To address the employment needs of affected families, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Haris Sumair stated that 53,167 families have been provided employment under the VB-G RAM G scheme, generating 11.20 lakh person-days and incurring an expenditure of around ₹27 crores in wage payments.
In terms of fodder availability, the Animal Husbandry Department assured that approximately 2.20 lakh tonnes of fodder are available in the district, which should suffice for the next 23 weeks. To further support farmers, 3,334 small fodder packets have already been distributed across the district.
