Mandya: Expressing concern over the weakening southwest monsoon and its impact on agriculture, Karnataka State farmers’ association leader Prakash urged both, Central and State govts to take immediate measures to safeguard farmers’ interests and prevent widespread crop losses.Prakash told reporters that prolonged dry spell has severely affected agricultural activities across the district. Farmers who had begun sowing in anticipation of good rain, are now witnessing germinated seeds and young crops wither due to inadequate rain. He appealed the govt to release at least one rotation of irrigation water from the Krishna Raja Sagara reservoir to protect standing crops.He also called for uninterrupted power supply to irrigation pump sets and opposed the proposed privatisation of power transmission projects. He urged the govt to declare drought-hit areas, waive farm loans, provide Rs 50,000 compensation to affected farmers, bear crop insurance premiums, extend insurance coverage to sugarcane and horticultural crops, and immediately clear pending payments to farmers who sold produce at govt procurement centres.Farmer leaders Induvalu Chandrashekhar, S Manjesh Gowda, Puttaswamy and Lingaswamy were present.
