As many as 76 out of 305 villages of Khanapur taluk have been declared as drought-affected this year.
This is for the second consecutive year that Khanapur taluk is facing a drought situation. Rainfall in the taluk has been less than the normal rate of 1,969 mm.
Around 22,000 farmers have suffered kharif crop losses in varying degrees this year. However, the losses of rabi crops is stated to be negligible, sources said.
The process of linking Aadhaar cards of farmers to their bank accounts was in progress for the payment of the Centre’s input subsidy.
A final report was yet to be made available from the agriculture department.
As of now, 20 villages have been identified as likely to go dry with the onset of summer soon, Suvinder Singh, Assistant Executive Engineer, Rural Drinking Water Supply, Khanapur, told The Hindu on Friday.
He said that measures had been already taken, which included repairs and rejuvenation of borewells to ensure drinking water to the villagers.
A new open well will be dug up in Prabhu Nagar shortly as the process of awarding contract was in final stages.
If need be, tankers would be arranged to supply water in villages where there was no water source.
However, he admitted that the reason behind shortage of drinking water in villages was mainly the mismanagement and negligence by gram panchayats and residents.
There were many piped water connections without taps and therefore water was getting lost.
