Minister for Large and Medium Industries Jagadish Shettar has said that despite the lockdown there are no restrictions on farm activities in the district and, if required, more centres will be set up for seed distribution in addition to the existing 27 such centres.
Speaking to presspersons after holding a review meeting with officials of agriculture and horticulture at Indira Glass House in Hubballi on Monday, Mr. Shettar said that with good rainfall in the district, farm activities have begun and the lockdown will be not of any hindrance to them.
He said that the meeting was held for facilitating farm activities amid lockdown. Already, farmers have prepared land for sowing and from Tuesday, seeds will be distributed.
“Farmers visit Hubballi-Dharwad for purchase of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. Relaxation will be given to them for this and guidelines will be prepared in consultation with the Deputy Commissioner,” he said.
Mr. Shettar said that to avoid crowding in front of seed distribution centres, time slots will be allotted to each village at these centres. “Date and time will be fixed for each village and this will be publicised well in advance so as to ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines,” he said.
He also clarified that the district has adequate stock of fertilizers. And, subsidised fertilizers will be distributed through farm societies.
More cases
To a query, Mr. Shettar said that more cases of black fungus are being reported in the district. At KIMS Hospital, 102 such patients are being treated. He clarified that while 20 cases at KIMS belonged to Dharwad district, the rest were from Belagavi, Gadag, Haveri, Uttara Kannada and other districts.
He said that of the drugs provided by the Union government, 100 vials have been given to KIMS Hospital and the State government too is trying to import the medicine. Further medical equipment are being purchased for treatment of black fungus, he said.
Mr. Shettar admitted that strict lockdown has caused hardships to the common people but it is inevitable to break the infection chain.
Adequate stock
Earlier, during the meeting, Joint Director of Agriculture Department Rajashekhar said that the district has recorded 180 mm pre-monsoon rain, which was 141% more than the average rainfall during the period. “The district has made arrangements to get 15,000 quintals of various seeds for the kharif season and already, we have a stock of 11,000 quintals. Against a demand of 58,088 tonnes of fertilizers, we have 31,973 tonnes in stock,” he said.
Chairman of KUIDFC Shankar Patil Munenakoppa, MLAs Prasad Abbayya, Amrut Desai, Kusumavati Shivalli, MLC Pradeep Shettar, Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil and Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer B. Susheela and others were present.
