Dharwad
Deputy Commissioner Divya Prabhu visited several villages in the district to inspect farmlands affected by heavy rains and crop damage. Although the fields looked green, she observed that the crops were unhealthy, with no pods on the plants, indicating a situation of “green drought.” During her visit, many farmers submitted appeals seeking immediate disbursal of compensation for crop loss and settlement of crop insurance claims.
Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner said that although the early monsoon had raised expectations of a good yield, persistent rains and erratic weather in the following weeks led to pest infestation and crop diseases, causing significant losses. As a result, the anticipated harvest has turned into disappointment for farmers. She directed agriculture, horticulture, and revenue department teams to conduct joint surveys of crop damage at the village level. The survey will be completed within a week, and the compiled data will be used to process claims.
She further said that farmers who insured their crops were earlier asked to file claims within 72 hours of reporting crop loss so they could receive interim relief. Accordingly, over 2,500 farmers have already submitted applications along with the required documents, while more than 26,000 applications have been filed across the district seeking compensation from insurance companies, as per agriculture department officials. The Deputy Commissioner informed that insurance representatives have been instructed to verify these claims and take swift action.
However, despite the government’s clear instructions, some bank branch managers have been accused of harassing farmers by issuing recovery notices for loan repayment. Farmers alleged that compensation and insurance benefits due to them were being forcibly adjusted against their outstanding loans without their consent. Clarifying the matter, DC Divya stated that such practices were illegal and warned bank managers against indulging in them. She said that all bank heads have been directed to ensure that no farmer is troubled, and officials from the lead bank have been tasked with ensuring strict compliance.
