Karnataka CM directs officials to speed up drought relief

Facing flak over handling of the drought situation, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today directed top officials to ensure relief works on a war footing in the state where 125 taluks have been declared drought-hit.
Addressing top officials of different departments in the presence of senior ministers, Siddaramaiah said funds were not a constraint for providing drinking water and fodder and added that Rs 516 crore had been released so far for drought relief works.
Governor H R Bhardwaj had last week openly expressed his unhappiness over the government's handling and said the Chief Minister must activate the administration to deal with the drought conditions.

KPCC Chief G Parameshwara had also asked the Chief Minister to speed up relief works by taking "proactive steps."
Principal opposition BJP had in a memorandum to the Governor yesterday had accused the government of "gross negligence" and sought his intervention to "wake up Siddaramiah and his cabinet colleagues from their deep slumber and focus their attention on combating drought with all seriousness."
In the meeting today, Siddaramaiah said 10,163 villages in 125 taluks were facing scarcity conditions, of which 1086 villages were hit severely. Badly affected villages were being water through tankers.
Fodder banks had been opened and there was enough stock to meet the needs for the next 26 weeks, he said.

Rural and Panchayatraj Development Minister H K Patil, Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, Law and Animal Husbandry Minister T B Jayachandra and Revenue Minister V Srinivasa Prasad and senior officials of the departments concerned were present at the meeting.