State mulls declaring drought

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government is considering declaring drought in the state amid a severe rainfall deficit, with ground-truthing reports from 102 taluks already submitted for assessment.

Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G Parameshwara said the drought situation was being reviewed every week and the issue would be discussed in detail at the next Cabinet meeting. A formal declaration would be made based on the Centre’s guidelines and prescribed parameters, he said.

Speaking to reporters near his residence in Sadashivanagar, Parameshwara said the government was closely monitoring the situation, particularly the impact of inadequate rainfall on drinking water availability and agriculture. He said the ground-level exercise was aimed at assessing the actual conditions prevailing in the affected areas before taking a decision on declaring drought. The Deputy Chief Minister also criticised the BJP for its handling of the drought issue. He said BJP leaders had formed teams and toured various parts of the state to assess the situation but had failed to submit any report or suggestions to the Chief Minister or the concerned ministers. At a time when farmers were facing crop losses and several areas were witnessing drinking water concerns, the Opposition should have offered constructive suggestions instead of indulging in political criticism, he said. Parameshwara said the government would take appropriate measures after examining the reports and assessing the situation according to established norms.