An expected visit of a Central team to the region on Thursday to gather first hand information on prevailing drought and crop loss has raised the hopes of beleaguered farmers. Mandya, Mysuru, Chamrajnagar and Hassan districts have been severely affected for the second consecutive year due to monsoon failure. The Mysuru district has recorded a 44 per cent deficit rainfall affecting the crops in 1.18 lakh hectares. Against the long time average rainfall of 723.6 mm, the district received 408 mm rain till October 25 this year accounting for a shortage of 315.6 mm. The farmers had completed sowing of ragi, maize, pulses and tobacco apart from cotton. But, as the monsoon failed, the crops dried up. A recent joint survey conducted by Revenue and Agriculture Departments estimated the crop loss at Rs 79.53 crore.The state government has declared all the seven taluks of the district drought-affected. In H D Kote alone, crops in 36,836 hectares dried up. With no resources to feed their families and nothing to fall back on, many of them are migrating to Kodagu, Kerala and other places for jobs. Rural Development, Animal Husbandry, Revenue and Agriculture Departments is expected to submit a comprehensive report to the visiting Central team. Director of Oil Seeds Corporation S S Kolhatkar, Senior Joint Commissioner of Water Resources Satish Kumar Kamboj and Under Secretary of Union Rural Development Ministry Neeta Tahilani are the members of the team. State government officials are set to apprise the team of the drinking water scarcity, depleting underground water, likely fodder scarcity and the need for employment generation schemes and additional funds to create employment. The team is scheduled to arrive in Mysuru on Thursday evening and visit Muradagalli, Kellahalli and Haro Halli in Mysuru taluk, Chamalapura and Kythanahalli in H D Kote taluk, Bilikere, Dharamapura and nearby villages in Hunsur taluk and Kampalapura and Hunswadi in Periyapatna taluk. Source - http://www.newindianexpress.com