Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T.B. Jayachandra, who headed the Cabinet sub-committee that visited Mysuru district on Tuesday, said that drought situation in Mysuru was grave and the situation could worsen if there is no rain in the next 10 days.
Mr. Jayachandram, however, said that there was no serious drinking water and fodder problem in the districts. Severe drought for the second consecutive year has led to crop failure, mounting debts and depletion of the groundwater table.
The Minister said that Mysuru district had not received normal rainfall and noted that the failure of pre-monsoon showers had posed a threat to drinking water.
He said officials had taken up hydro-fracturing, redrilling and deepening of borewells in hundreds of villages, and input subsidy was being distributed to farmers.
Mr. Jayachandra took strong exception to combining the National Rural Drinking Water programme and MLAs’ task force grants of Rs. 50 lakh and instructed ZP chief executive officer P.A. Gopal to maintain both accounts separately.
G.T. Deve Gowda, MLA, urged the government to release more funds to Mysuru district to tackle drinking water problem. Deputy Commissioner C. Shikha said no village was being provided tanker water.
Taking stock
Mr. Jayachandra said officials have been asked to provide employment under MNREGS so that migration could be controlled.
The sub-committee panel will submit a report on the works to be taken up on priority, he said.
The team visited villages in five taluks of the district, including G.B. Saraguru and Gollanabeedu in H.D. Kote taluk. The villagers submitted a memorandum requesting for a goshala.
