111 Taluks Of North Karnataka Experience Prolonged Dry Spell, Says DyCM
The State Government, he said, will assess the drought situation across the State including areas falling under Red zone and Yellow zone categories to help the State Cabinet to discuss and initiate appropriate measures to tackle drought.
BENGALURU: As many as 111 taluks of north Karnataka are under the severe drought this season owing to deficit rainfall, said Deputy Chief Minister Dr G. Parameshwara while expressing fears that the situation is likely to worsen if rainfall deficit continues in coming days. He, however, clarified as per Union Government’s ten prescribed criteria, a formal drought declaration cannot be made until the end of August.
“The 111 taluks of north Karnataka experienced a prolonged dry spell for four weeks. While the State continues to reel under drought, only a few districts have received rainfall resulting in increased inflows to some reservoirs,” he said.
The 3 major reservoirs in the Cauvery basin have reached to their capacities and recorded 90 percent water storage capacity in them, Inflow to Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir increased significantly and the KRS reservoir is likely to 90 percent storage capacity in a couple of days, said the Deputy Chief Minister at a press conference in Bengaluru on Monday.
Regarding the ten criteria to declare drought, Parameshwara said the State Government has written to the Union Government request to relax these norms. The State Government, he said, will assess the drought situation across the State including areas falling under Red zone and Yellow zone categories to help the State Cabinet to discuss and initiate appropriate measures to tackle drought. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar was present.
