Minister for Revenue V. Srinivasa Prasad has responded positively for the demand from the elected representatives to declare Shikaripur taluk as drought-affected.
As part his visit to drought-affected villages in the district on Wednesday,
Mr. Prasad held a meeting with officials and elected representatives in Shikaripur town to discuss the problems faced by the people due to scarcity of rain.
Cause for concern
Speaking on the occasion, Shikaripur MLA B.Y. Raghavendra said that the taluk received only 55 percent of its average rainfall in 2015.
Of the 1,711 tanks in the Shikaripur taluk, only 15 tanks have some water left in them. The remaining have dried-up.
There has been a sharp decline in the water levels in both Anjanapura and Ambligolla reservoirs.
Of the 800 public borewells from which water is drawn for drinking purposes in the taluk, 500 have dried-up.
Similarly, the taluk has 30,000 agricultural borewells of which 10,000 have completely dried-up, Mr. Raghavendra said.
Crops destroyed
Mr. Raghavendra said that the horticulture crop on 430 hectares of land in the taluk has been destroyed due to the drought. He urged the State government to declare Shikaripur taluk as drought-affected and release necessary grants to take up relief works in affected areas.
Decision to be taken soon
Mr. Prasad said that a decision on declaring Shikaripur taluk as drought-affected would be taken after the situation prevailing here was discussed in the meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee.
Of the seven taluks in the district, the State government has declared Sorab taluk as drought-affected.
The residents in Shikaripur taluk are also facing shortage of water for drinking as well as for agricultural purposes. The district administration would be asked to submit a report on the loss suffered by the people here due to scarcity of rain. The report would be discussed in the meeting of Cabinet sub-committee on drought after which a decision would be taken on declaring the taluk as drought-affected, Mr. Prasad said.
Tackling the crisis
He directed the officials to provide drinking water through tankers to those villages that are facing acute shortage of water.
In addition to this, he said that fodder banks should also be established in places affected by drought to stop the farmers from being forced selling their cattle at throw-away prices.
Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Rathnakar, MLC R. Prasanna Kumar were present.
Mr. Prasad visited Harogoppa and Balligavi villages in Shikaripur taluk, Guduginakoppa and Udri village in Sorab taluk where the lakes have dried up completely. He also interacted with the farmers in these villages.
Of the seven taluks in the district, the government has declared Sorab taluk drought-hit
