Udupi District-in-Charge Secretary Maheshwar Rao called upon the officials to be responsive and take immediate action in the direction of relief and emergency operations and compensating the natural calamities.

Speaking at the review meeting held to tackle the grave emergencies like drinking water shortage and droughts here on Tuesday, the secretary stressed that there is a need for scientific deliberations before implementing the measures to eradicate the drinking water problems.

The habitat in the district is evenly distributed and the district undergoes the brunt of water scarcity only at the pinnacle of summer.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Muddu Mohan said that as many as Rs 4,843.78 lakh has been earmarked to sort out the drinking water shortage problems during the year 2013-14., of which, Rs 3,363.94 lakh has been released.

As many as 722 construction works worth Rs 3,328.79 lakh has been taken up. As many as 108 bore-wells and 169 open-wells are dig up, 189 pipe wells water supply projects and 52 minor water supply projects are completed, he added.

The deputy commissioner said that as many as 91 projects under natural calamity relief fund is taken up in as many as 77 villages at the cost of Rs 113.70 lakh.

In Udupi taluk, as many as 40 projects, 24 in Kundapur and 13 works in Karkala have been taken up, of which 71 works worth 75.91 lakh are completed and 20 works are in progress.

Nearly 6,94,000 liters of water is supplied through 138 tankers  to 190 housing colonies in 46 villages in the district.

In Udupi, as many as 44 villages are provided with tanker water, while 26 villages in Kundapur and eight villages in Karkala are provided water through tankers, respectively.

The DC added that 180 works are taken up at the cost of Rs 537.40 lakh released by Zilla Panchayath, of which 40 works are completed and 140 are in progress.

A total of 42 new borewells  are dug up, 22 pipe line extension works  are taken up, deepening of eight wells are taken up besides 18 pumpsets are  set up in various areas.

The secretary directed the officials to utilize the funds released under natural calamity relief funds within 45 days and he also made an assessment of the works taken up by the task force set up at taluk level to tackle the water shortage issues.

He said in order to tackle the sea-erosion menace during rainy season, the officials concerned should take all necessary actions by storing sufficient boulders in case of emergencies.

The secretary also looked into the action plan designed for the amount of Rs 60 lakh released to Zilla Panchayath and Urban local bodies in the district.

He also directed the health department officials to be equipped with necessary measures to counter the water and vector borne diseases during monsoon.

DHO Dr Ramachandra Bairy briefed over the shortage of anti snake venom in the district.

The officials said that there is storage of 1,218 metric tons of fodder to cattle and there is no shortage of drinking water to cattle.

The officials also added that there is a need of 2,000 tons of fertilizers.