Take concrete steps to tide over drought, Gowda tells officials

Former prime minister and MP H D Deve Gowda, on Monday, directed the officials concerned to take necessary measures to tackle the drought-like situation due to a below par monsoon in the district.

Presiding over the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee meeting here on Monday, Deve Gowda said, The district administration should address the drinking water woes and fodder shortage on a priority basis.

With the farmer bodies and various organisations taking to streets, demanding the release of water to canals from Hemavathi dam at Gorur, the engineers should take care of the water available in the reservoir, he said.

MLAs H D Revanna, H S Prakash, H K Kumaraswamy and C N Balakrishna, during the meeting, highlighted the drinking water crisis in the district, delay in settling of bills to contractors executing water projects and other related problems.

They explained that a proposal for Rs 39 crore was submitted after studying the drinking water problem in 2,560 villages in the district. “The government had deputed a team for a survey. Based on the report submitted, the government has released Rs 10 crore with certain conditions, which should be relaxed,” the MLAs said.

Deputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri said, taluk-wise tenders have been invited for distribution of drinking water through tankers. “The district has experienced less than normal rainfall up to June. A proposal has been submitted to the government seeking additional funds. The officials have been directed to ensure that the fodder grown in the district is not being transported to other districts. There are also plans to grow fodder on government lands,” she added.

Superintendent of Police Rahul Kumar and officials of various departments were present.
Hemavathi water

The JD(S) legislators told the meeting that Mysuru, Bengaluru, Tumakuru districts and Tamil Nadu are enjoying the benefits of Hemavathi reservoir. Gross injustice is being meted out to Hassan district. Water should be released to the canals to tide over the drinking water problems, they appealed.

Gowda said, the decision should be taken in the Irrigation Consultative Committee meeting, which will be presided over by the District-in-charge Minister. The representatives of all the districts should be invited and the issue should be discussed, he said.