Karnataka Adds 23 More Taluks to Drought List, Total Hits 124

Karnataka’s drought watch list grew again on Thursday, as the state government officially declared another 23 taluks as drought‑affected. The move pushes the total number of taluks under the Kharif‑season drought banner to 124.

The Revenue Department issued the order after a ground‑level verification carried out by the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC). The assessment, done with a mobile‑app‑driven survey of 214 villages across 24 taluks, identified 21 taluks facing severe water scarcity and two more that are only moderately affected.

Among the severely hit areas are Tiptur (Tumakuru), Karatagi (Koppal), Manvi, Sindhanur and Sirwar (Raichur), and a cluster of taluks in Kalaburagi – Afzalpur, Aland, Chittapur, Kalaburagi, Yadrami and Shahabad. The list also includes Bhalki (Bidar), Basavana Bagewadi, Babaleshwar and Tikota (Vijayapura), Rattihalli (Haveri), Hubballi, Navalgund, Hubballi City and Annigeri (Dharwad), and Kadur (Chikkamagaluru). The moderate‑impact taluks are Ponnampet and Virajpet in Kodagu.

This latest addition follows a systematic review of the 139 taluks that were not part of the initial drought notification issued on August 27. The exercise was ordered by the Cabinet sub‑committee on natural disasters, headed by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, after persistent dry spells lingered across large swathes of the state.

With the new declaration, district administrations can now mobilise relief under the State Disaster Response Fund. Deputy commissioners, acting as heads of district disaster management authorities, have been empowered to kick‑start assistance programmes. The agriculture commissioner, the horticulture director, and the relevant deputy commissioners have also been instructed to conduct joint crop‑loss surveys and feed their findings back to the government.

KSNDMC will keep a close eye on the situation, reviewing conditions weekly. Forecasts for September point to below‑normal rainfall, meaning the drought map could expand further. Any additional taluks that meet the eligibility criteria will be added in phases.

The political spotlight now shifts to the upcoming three‑day special session of the Karnataka Assembly, slated to begin on September 21. Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has signalled that the drought and farmers’ pleas for relief will be front‑and‑center. He hinted that the government might entertain a demand for farm‑loan waivers, but stressed that any decision would require consultations with opposition leaders, banks and, ultimately, a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi.

“We have to discuss it. The bankers also have to speak,” Shivakumar told reporters, noting that the latest drought assessment reports had only just arrived. He added that bankers have agreed to give farmers a one‑year extension to repay their loans, a small but welcome respite for many who are grappling with crop failures.

For now, the focus remains on swift relief, accurate loss assessments, and keeping a watchful eye on the weather. Karnataka’s farmers are hoping the state’s response will be enough to tide them over until the next monsoon arrives.