Kandkur warns of protest if Gurmitkal, Yadgir stay out of drought list

Gurmitkal Janata Dal (Secular) MLA Sharanagouda Kandkur has escalated his criticism of the State government over the exclusion of Gurmitkal and Yadgir taluks from the recent drought-hit notification. He has warned that he will stage a protest outside the Vidhana Soudha if the two taluks are not included in the upcoming second list of drought-affected regions.

Speaking to reporters at his office in Yadgir, Mr. Kandkur questioned the methodology used by the State government to assess drought severity. He pointed to official rainfall data showing that between June 1 and July 31, Yadgir and Gurmitkal taluks recorded severe rainfall deficits of 59% and 58%, respectively.

The shortfall persisted until August 28, with deficits standing at 54% for Yadgir and 44% for Gurmitkal. In comparison, neighbouring Shahapur and Shorapur taluks recorded deficits of 50% and 35%.

Despite these figures, both Yadgir and Gurmitkal have been left out of the official list of drought-hit taluks. Mr. Kandkur demanded that the State government clarify the exact grounds for exclusion and provide explicit details about the parameters applied during the assessment.

He noted that major kharif crops, including green gram, red gram and cotton, have largely withered due to the prolonged dry spell. Farmers in rain-fed areas are facing crop losses and are preparing to migrate to cities in search of livelihoods.

Seeking immediate intervention, Mr. Kandkur called upon the Congress government to include both taluks in the second list of drought-hit regions and promptly deploy relief measures to safeguard the interests of farmers.