Karnataka Officials on 24/7 Drought Alert

Karnataka is preparing for a potential drought, with Chief Minister DK Shivakumar directing ministers and district officials to be on 24/7 duty. He warned that negligence in relief measures would lead to strict action. An immediate allocation of Rs 1 crore per taluk has been announced to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply.

Farmers are a key focus, with instructions to prevent suffering due to administrative lapses. Priorities include drinking water, fodder for livestock, crop insurance, and borewell drilling in water-scarce rural areas. The government intends to cross-verify field assessments with official reports to ensure accurate data is used.

The state faces a significant rainfall deficit, with only 32% of targeted sowing achieved and 82% of districts recording deficient rainfall. Reservoir levels are critically low, making drinking water the government's highest priority. Officials are conducting field visits and reporting ground conditions, with warnings against fraudulent claims for relief works.

Coordinated efforts are expected from the Revenue, Energy, RDPR, and Water Resources departments. Central teams will soon visit drought-affected areas for assessment, requiring district administrations to have verified data ready for inspection.