Sunil Lohan
*No Shortage of Funds for Adequate Drinking Water and Fodder Supply.
*DCM Addresses Bengaluru Revenue Division-Level Progress Review Meeting.
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Revenue and Sports Dr.G.Parameshwara said that water levels in most reservoirs across the State had fallen to critically low levels and nearly 80% of the lakes had dried up.
Earlier today,Dr.Parameshwara,along with Chief Minister D.K.Shivakumar,visited Chitradurga district and personally inspected drought-affected areas in Hiriyur taluk.
He later addressed the Bengaluru Revenue Division-level progress review meeting held at the Anubhava Mantapa Hall of the Murugharajendra Brihanmatha in Chitradurga.
“The first major challenge arising from the severity of the drought could be a shortage of drinking water.The water currently available in reservoirs must not be used for agricultural activities.
Strict instructions have been issued to reserve it exclusively for drinking-water needs.All necessary measures must be taken to ensure that the drought does not cause hardship to the people,”he said.
Dr.Parameshwara said the Government was fully aware of the severity of the drought across the State. Recognising the seriousness of the situation, the Chief Minister had already reviewed the Belagavi and Kalaburagi divisions.
“As Revenue Minister,I have visited several districts, including Chikkaballapur, Kolar,Tumakuru and Chitradurga,and personally reviewed the situation.I will visit and assess the conditions in other districts as well,” he said.
“The drought situation before us is extremely serious. Although there was some rainfall in June,it was not evenly distributed across all regions.
Farmers began sowing, but the State has recorded a rainfall deficit of more than 42% so far.
The extent of the deficit varies from district to district, bringing agricultural activities to a halt in several areas,” he said.
He said sowing had been completed on only about 2% of the area in Chikkaballapur district,between 1.5% and 2% in Kolar,and between 3% and 4% in Chitradurga, reaching around 10% in a few areas.
Overall,only about 15% of the normal sowing had been completed across the State.
Dr.Parameshwara said the rise in the surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean was affecting the formation of rain-bearing clouds.
“Data from the past 75 years show that El Niño conditions have occurred 25 times.
Normally, sea-surface temperatures increased by 1 to 2 degrees.This time, however, they have risen by two to three degrees.
Due to the emergence of a Super El Niño, nearly 50% of the world is experiencing drought-like conditions. It is not only Karnataka; States across the country are facing drought,” he said.
He said temperatures in European countries had risen to between 35°C and 40°C, resulting in around 5,000 deaths in Europe. Around 20,000 people had died across regions covering nearly half the world,demonstrating the severity of the Super El Niño phenomenon.
“Several States are experiencing dry weather.Parts of Karnataka’s Malnad and coastal regions have received some rainfall. As Maharashtra has received rain,water is flowing into the Almatti reservoir,”he said.
Dr. Parameshwara reiterated that water levels in reservoirs had fallen considerably and nearly 80% of the State’s lakes had dried up.
“The first concern is the possibility of a drinking-water shortage.In the Bengaluru Revenue Division,the rainfall deficit is 28% in Bengaluru Urban,18% in Bengaluru Rural, 24% in Ramanagara,36% in Kolar, 28% in Chikkaballapur, 18% in Tumakuru,28% in Chitradurga,and 48% each in Davanagere and Shivamogga.
The overall rainfall deficit in the Bengaluru Revenue Division is 37%. Karnataka is facing an exceptionally severe drought this year,”he said.
He said the situation had made it necessary to hire private borewells and supply water through tankers.“The Government has taken every necessary measure. ₹5 crore has been sanctioned to each district for drinking-water arrangements,and Deputy Commissioners have already begun utilising these funds. We have also announced ₹1 crore for every Assembly constituency,”he said.
Dr.Parameshwara said the State had lakhs of cattle and could face a fodder shortage. Officials had reported that adequate fodder was available for the next 30 to 40 weeks.
“The available fodder must be utilised properly; otherwise, we may face serious difficulties.The Animal Husbandry Department has been directed to distribute fodder-seed kits to farmers in areas where water is available, and the kits are being distributed accordingly,” he said.
He said that during previous droughts, fodder had been procured from neighbouring States, while fodder banks and goshalas had also been established.
“However, neighbouring States are also facing drought due to inadequate rainfall.Therefore, it is not possible to procure fodder from them this time,” he said.
Reports of migration have emerged from Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Koppal, Ballari and Yadgir districts.Officials have been directed to take up works under the VB–G RAM G Scheme and provide employment to the people.
There is no shortage of funds, and no one needs to panic. Works must be started immediately in villages from which people are migrating,”he directed.
Dr.Parameshwara said task forces had been constituted in every taluk.Deputy Commissioners and Zilla Panchayat CEOs had been instructed to convene district- and taluk-level task force meetings every week.
“These meetings will help officials understand the ground situation,assess the actual severity of the drought and prepare action plans to manage it. Drinking-water conditions can change from day to day,” he said.
He said sowing was expected to cover 13.73 lakh hectares in the Bengaluru Revenue Division, but only 1.74 lakh hectares had been sown,amounting to 13%. “The Chief Minister and I have written to the Prime Minister regarding the drought situation.
I have also written to the Union Home Minister and the Union Agriculture Minister, explaining the prevailing conditions.
The Union Government has prescribed 10 criteria for declaring drought, and we have urged it to relax these norms,” he said.
He added that a drought memorandum could not be submitted to the Union Government before August 15. “If it rains after August, the situation may change. Therefore, the submission of the report to the Union Government may be delayed,” he said.
During the meeting, the Deputy Chief Minister also expressed condolences over the demise of former minister C. Veeranna. Recalling his many progressive contributions, Dr. Parameshwara prayed for peace for his departed soul.
Ministers Shri Ramalinga Reddy, and Eshwar Khandre, the State Government’s Special Representative in Delhi Shri T.B. Jayachandra, Chief Secretary Smt. Shalini Rajneesh, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Shri Tushar Giri Nath and others were present at the meeting.
