Good rainfall likely in April-May, says Karnataka govt

Bengaluru: Karnataka is expected to receive above-average rainfall in the pre-monsoon season of April and May, the Cabinet sub-committee on disaster management headed by Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda was told by officials on Thursday. The sub-committee met to discuss the upcoming Rabi and monsoon seasons, agriculture, drinking water supply, weather conditions and reservoir levels.

According to a statement from Gowda's office, the state should get "good rainfall" in April and May. "There is also a likelihood of increased rainfall in the last week of February and March.

However, rainfall during the Rabi season has been below average, and October–December is expected to see a decline in precipitation," the sub-committee was told. Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister Priyank Kharge, Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi and Agriculture Minister N Chaluvarayaswamy, who are members of the sub-committee, were present.

It was also noted that temperature in February, which has become almost scorching with a 2.5°C rise over the average, could fall in the last week of the month. The state's 14 major reservoirs currently hold 535.21 TMC of water, which is about 60% of the average storage. During the same period last year, the storage was 332.52 TMC of water, Gowda's office said.

Expressing concern over lower water levels in some reservoirs, Gowda asked officials to "carefully" manage the situation keeping in mind irrigation requirements and future drinking needs.

The water resources department was asked to submit a clear report on the expected reservoir levels in the coming months and ensure that drinking needs are prioritized before releasing water for irrigation. At present, drinking water is being supplied through tankers and borewells to 66 villages across 13 taluks in five districts - Chikballapur, Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Bengaluru Urban and Ramanagara.

Similarly, tankers and borewells are supplying drinking water to 56 wards in urban local bodies across Chikballapur, Bengaluru Urban and Kolar districts. The sub-committee also discussed identifying additional villages that may face water shortages in the near future.

The RDPR department was instructed to make "comprehensive preparations" by reviewing past measures and consider additional steps to resolve drinking water issues. A detailed report will be presented at the next sub-committee meeting.Gowda told the meeting that deputy commissioners and tahsildars have Rs 488.30 crore to take up relief measures as required.