Karnataka CM Warns Officials Against Negligence in Drought Relief
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Sunday issued a stern warning to officials against slacking or negligence in handling the drought situation, emphasising that drinking water, fodder for animals, insurance for crop losses, and sinking of borewells in rural areas should be top priorities.
Speaking to Deputy Commissioners and Chief Executive Officers of zilla panchayats during a video conference, Mr. Shivakumar said farmers should not suffer because of official apathy, and that any slacking or negligence would not be tolerated. He instructed officials to undertake field visits rather than relying solely on paperwork and data.
'Shortly, teams from the Centre will visit your areas for inspection. You should be well prepared with facts and figures and present them effectively,' he said.
The State’s drought situation, drinking water supply, fodder availability for livestock, agricultural activities, economic activities, and employment were reviewed during the meeting.
'In the coming days, we should be prepared to handle any crisis arising out of drought. We are not here to see paperwork. All the data and statistics will be cross-checked with the ground reality. So don’t just give numbers without verification,' the Chief Minister said.
He added that the government is proactively engaging with all stakeholders to help the farming sector. Karnataka is facing a massive rainfall deficit, with sowing at 32% and only six out of 31 districts receiving adequate rainfall. Water levels in reservoirs are at dead storage, making drinking water the top priority.
Mr. Shivakumar warned that any anomaly or misdeeds, such as duplicate billing of borewells or raising fresh bills for already sunk borewells, would be dealt with seriously. He called for coordinated efforts among the Revenue, Energy, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR), and Water Resources departments.
Revenue Minister and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara reported that Karnataka has recorded an overall 68% rainfall deficit, with some regions experiencing up to 48% deficiency, resulting in severe drought across many taluks. Groundwater levels have fallen by about 4 metres in 88 taluks, and reservoir levels are declining sharply. He warned that the situation could deteriorate further.
Dr. Parameshwara noted that the number of villages dependent on tanker water supply is increasing daily, and legislators have submitted requests for new borewells. In many places, drinking water is supplied only once a week, and sinking borewells does not guarantee water availability. He directed that wherever borewells are successful, motor pumps and electricity connections should be provided immediately. He added that Rs. 329 crore is available in the PD accounts of Deputy Commissioners.
Expressing concern over migration, Dr. Parameshwara said people from Ballari, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Yadgir, and Vijayanagara districts are migrating for work. He directed officials to immediately begin works under the VB-G RAM G scheme to generate employment. Only 20 gram panchayats in Vijayapura have started implementation, and in most parts of the State, work under the scheme has not commenced. Of nearly 5,000 gram panchayats, 2,443 have not yet started works under the programme.
The Revenue Minister said that 75 taluks have experienced dry weather for four consecutive weeks and directed officials to submit a report to the Central government. He also instructed them to undertake ground-truthing to help the State government take timely and appropriate action.
