The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : `Worst-ever drought in 36 years'

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Friday, Jan 12, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Worst-ever drought in 36 years'

Special Correspondent

High-powered committee reviews situation in 128 affected taluks

BANGALORE: With a severe drinking water crisis (but no shortage of food) in 32 villages and five towns, Karnataka is experiencing the "worst-ever drought in the last 36 years," Home Minister M.P. Prakash said here on Thursday. Transportation of fodder to other States had been banned, he said.

Mr. Prakash held a high-powered committee meeting on drought and reviewed the situation in 128 affected taluks.

The State faced a severe drought in 1971 and there was shortage of foodgrains and drinking water.

The number of drought-hit taluks in various districts is Bagalkot (6), Bangalore Rural (8), Bangalore Urban (1), Belgaum (3), Bellary (7), Bidar and Bijapur (5 each), Chamarajanagar (4), Chikmagalur (2), Chitradurga (6), Dakshina Kannada (3), Davangere (5), Dharwad (1), Gadag (5), Gulbarga (10), Hassan (3), Haveri (1), Kodagu (3), Kolar (11), Koppal (4), Mandya (7), Mysore (4), Raichur (5), Shimoga (2), Tumkur (10), Uttara Kannada (4) and Udupi (3).

The State experienced three consecutive droughts (2000-01 to 2003-04) during the S.M. Krishna Government.

The committee decided to urge the State Government to release Rs. 100 crore immediately to tackle drought. Already, Rs. 139.50 crore had been released to drought-hit taluks, he said.

As many as 173 tankers were pressed into service to supply drinking water in 32 villages and 45 tankers in five towns. He said steps had been taken to supply fodder to the cattle of small and marginal farmers and set up cattle sheds in taluks affected by drought, he said.

He said 2,180 drought relief schemes were executed that provided jobs to 41,000 people.

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