Udhagamandalam: A demand has been made by the Badagas of the Nilgiris to declare the district as drought affected.

With the district experiencing dry weather almost throughout the year, the Executive Committee of the Young Badagas Association (YBA), a forum of the community, met here on Wednesday to take stock of the situation.

Expressing concern over the hardship being faced by the farmers including small tea growers, labourers, members of the trading community and others,on account of the lack of rains the committee resolved to urge the central and state governments to declare the Nilgiris as drought affected.

Earlier the committee passed a resolution condoling the demise of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.