Raichur drought: CEO orders urgent crop loss survey for farmer compensation

Raichur ZP CEO Ishwar Kumar Kandoo instructs officers to conduct crop loss assessment in drought-hit areas

Raichur Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Ishwar Kumar Kandoo has ordered a crop loss survey to be completed before farmers harvest the remainder of their fields, warning that crops across a majority of the cultivated area have withered drastically. The directive came as the district grapples with severe drought conditions that have left farming households facing acute distress.

Chairing a quarterly development progress review meeting in Raichur, Mr. Kandoo directed officials from the departments concerned to conduct the assessment in drought-affected areas to ensure farmers receive prompt compensation.

Accuracy critical for relief delivery

Mr. Kandoo cautioned that flawed data collection would deprive affected farmers of the compensation they are entitled to receive. "Any improper or inaccurate assessment will lead to a considerable reduction in the actual compensation due to affected farmers. Officers must take every step to ensure that accurate data is recorded so that relief reaches all deserving farmers," he said.

Drinking water crisis and irrigation monitoring

Addressing the acute drinking water crisis in the district, Mr. Kandoo instructed officials to formulate a comprehensive action plan to supply drinking water to vulnerable villages through various modes, including hiring private borewells. He noted that the State government has already released ₹1 crore for each Assembly constituency to mitigate drinking water scarcity.

To address irrigation concerns, Mr. Kandoo stated that officials from the Revenue and Panchayat Raj departments would be deployed on a shift basis to monitor water flow in the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal (TLBC) and ensure it reaches tail-end farmers.

Rural infrastructure and sanitation drive

To improve basic amenities and maintain streetlights in rural areas, Mr. Kandoo instructed the officials to launch a drive to recover long-pending tax dues owed to local bodies. Furthermore, the officials were directed to complete a door-to-door survey of existing household toilets across the district before October 2.

During the meeting, Mr. Kandoo distributed safety kits designed to assist local personnel and the public during natural disasters, fire hazards, and flood emergencies.

Nutrition and development funding

Approval has been granted for the release of funds from the Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board (KKRDB) for the scheme supplying nutritious food to anganwadis under the 'Poushtika Raichur' (Nutritious Raichur) initiative, Mr. Kandoo said. Similarly, funds have been released by NITI Aayog to establish a 'Shakti Kendra' in Maski taluk under the Aspirational Blocks Programme. Immediate action would be taken to utilise these funds, Mr. Kandoo said.

Source: The Hindu