The Karnataka government will declare 53 more taluks as drought-affected, taking the number to 177 out of the total 240 taluks in the State, Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara said on Tuesday.

Initiating a discussion on drought conditions in the State, he told the Legislative Council that 20 to 30 more taluks are likely to be declared drought-affected. While in the first phase, 101 taluks were declared drought-affected, 23 were added in the second phase. “It is a continuous process. More taluks will be declared drought-affected as and when they conform to conditions in the Drought Manual of 2020,” he added.

Karnataka normally receives around 852 mm of rainfall, but only 642 mm has been recorded. Rainfall deficit has been reported in several regions from June to September 26, he informed the House.

The State has recorded an average rainfall deficit of 36%, with 46% in South Interior Karnataka, 44% in North Interior Karnataka, 38% in Malnad, and 28% in the coastal region.

Farmers had taken up sowing when the rains initially began, but the rainfall stopped soon afterwards, causing germinated crops to dry up. In several places, farmers sowed a second time after the rains returned, but those crops too suffered damage. Crop losses have been severe in many areas, leaving farmers in distress, Dr. Parameshwara said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that 82% of crops in rain=fed areas have been lost and the State had seen a rainfall deficit of 36%. The drought conditions are similar to the one that prevailed in 1876, and the worst in the last 150 years, he added.

“Legislators and farmers are writing and also protesting about their taluks not being declared as drought=affected. But there is a procedure that we have to follow. An all-party delegation to the Centre is being planned after submission of the memorandum,” he said.