Poor rains, crop loss in Mysuru district
Mysuru: With the farming community facing distress due to poor rainfall and crop losses, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, citing the drought-like situation in the district, directed officials not to pressurise farmers to repay loans.
He was speaking after chairing the DISHA (District Development Co-ordination and Monitoring Committee) meeting at the ZP Hall yesterday.
“Officials should focus on ensuring that every eligible farmer is registered under the crop insurance scheme. At the same time, they should ensure that insured farmers receive compensation for crop losses,” Kumaraswamy said.
47 percent rainfall deficit
DC G. Lakshmikanth Reddy said a meeting of bank officials would soon be convened in this regard.
“The district has recorded poor rainfall and eight taluks have been declared drought-hit. Periyapatna taluk, which was left out, has also been affected by drought and a proposal has been sent for its inclusion in the list of drought-hit taluks. Due to the shortage of water, farmers have been advised against growing paddy this season,” the DC said.
Joint Director of Agriculture K.H. Ravi said the district had recorded a 47 percent rainfall deficit.
“A joint survey will be conducted to assess crop losses and a report will soon be submitted to the Government. Officials have been directed to specifically mention the survey number, area under cultivation and crop-wise loss during the survey,” he said.
Ravi said the district had achieved only 50 percent of the targeted sowing so far. The irrigated agricultural land area is around 23,000 hectares. Though sowing has taken place on about half of the agricultural land, crop yield is low, he said.
Adding to the farmers’ woes, paddy has been cultivated on 12,000 hectares despite farmers being advised well in advance against growing the water-intensive crop this season, he added.
Legacy waste
MCC Executive Engineer Mrutyunjaya said a tender had been invited for the disposal of six lakh tonnes of solid waste at the Vidyaranyapuram solid waste treatment plant.
“So far, 4.80 lakh tonnes of waste has been disposed of. With the addition of fresh waste, the backlog has crossed two lakh tonnes,” he said.
The DC directed MCC officials to submit a proposal seeking additional funds under the Swachh Bharat Mission for the disposal of the legacy waste.
MPs seek faster infrastructure works
Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar urged the authorities to expedite ongoing flyover works in the city. He said the early completion of the flyover near the APMC yard on Nanjangud Road would help ease traffic movement.
Chamarajanagar MP Sunil Bose sought early completion of the Kurubur and Mugur bridges in Mysuru district. Expressing concern over the rise in fatal road accidents, he urged the authorities to take measures to prevent mishaps.
MLAs T.S. Srivatsa and G.D. Harish Gowda, DISHA Committee member Ashwin Kumar, ZP CEO S. Ukesh Kumar, City Police Commissioner Seema Latkar, SP Mallikarjun Baladandi, MCC Commissioner M.K. Savitha and other officials were present.
NHAI seeks security clearance for airport runway expansion
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Planning Director Sirish Gangadhar told the meeting that a proposal had been sent to the Union Government seeking security clearance for the expansion of the Mysore Airport runway. The project requires the construction of a 3-km alternative road on Nanjangud Road.
A Rs.570-crore Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared for land acquisition and construction of the 3-km alternative road, he said, adding that the land acquisition process would begin once the Centre issues the security clearance.
The alternative road will be constructed after completion of land acquisition, he added.
On the Mysuru-Kushalnagar Highway project, Gangadhar said 50 per cent of the 62-km stretch had been completed and the entire project was expected to be completed within a year. He further said the flyover at the Manipal Hospitals junction would be completed by December 2027.
This post was published on August 29, 2026 7:30 pm