The Cabinet sub-committee to review drought in Mysuru division visited Kodagu district on Sunday for assessing the drought situation. The panel comprises Ministers T B Jayachandra, Dr H C Mahadevappa, H S Mahadevaprasad and Dinesh Gundu Rao.
The team first visited Pampinakere and directed the officials to complete the work on removing silt from Pampinakere before the onset of monsoon. They later visited Kadanoor nursery and inspected the saplings. The team also visited drinking water project at Boikere, Aravathoklu, Hudoor, and Guddehosoor. However, the team only inspected the dried coffee plant in Hathoor and did not listen to the grievances of the growers, much to the chagrin of coffee farmers. There was no road to reach Pampinakere and it is learnt that the city municipal council upon coming to know of the ministers’ visit, laid the road by felling trees, hurriedly. The local residents expressed their anguish over felling of trees for the road.
Law Minister T B Jayachandra asked the officials to ensure supply of water surpassing all the hurdles that may crop up in implementing drinking water projects.
Later, speaking at a meeting to review drought relief works at Kushalnagar, Jayachandra told the officials to issue necessary orders for drought relief work without waiting for funds. He took the deputy commissioner and zilla panchayat chief executive officer to task for their failure to make a list of villages facing water crisis in the district.
Deputy Commissioner Meer Anees Ahmmed said the district should have received 90 mm rainfall but had recorded only 21 mm rainfall so far, leading to drastic depletion of groundwater table.
MLA Appachu Ranjan said that there had been no pre-monsoon showers in Kodagu district.
He said that several villages would have got water had the Chescom officials discharged their duty diligently. District in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said that power connection should be provided to drinking water projects at the earliest.
The ministers directed the deputy commissioner and the zilla panchayat CEO to submit a report on villages facing water crisis, after a spot inspection.
“A nodal officer should be appointed for 10 villages and Rs 1.88 crore which is with the district administration, should be utilised effectively” the ministers said.
MLA K G Bopaiah urged that money for development works should be released immediately. PWD Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa said that Rs 3 crore would be released within a week.
