Bengaluru: Expressing concern over low water levels in major reservoirs across the State, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Tuesday directed the officials to give priority to easing the drinking water crisis.
Presiding over a meeting here to review the drought situation, the Chief Minister said more than 80 taluks faced deficit rainfall. The deficit was 18 per cent in the Malnad and Hyderabad-Karnataka regions.
Yediyurappa said storage of water in most reservoirs was only 48 per cent, which was alarming.
The ground water level too had depreciated in 158 taluks. Sowing had taken place only on 58 per cent of the total land under cultivation.
The officials should cause no delay in addressing the problems of farmers, Yediyurappa said.
The Chief Minister also instructed the district in-charge secretaries to oversee drought relief works. A meeting of deputy commissioners of all districts would be held on August 2 to review the drought situation. Based on their feedback, he would approach the Centre for more funds, Yediyurappa said. He said drinking water was being supplied to 3,067 villages through tankers. Control rooms had been set up in all districts. Fodder for cattle would last for 12 weeks and 27 cattle sheds had been set up across the state.
