The Cabinet sub-committee on drought, formed to study the dismal drought situation in affected areas, will tour Ramanagaram district on Wednesday.
All the four taluks – Ramanagaram, Channapatna, Magadi and Kanakapura – have been dealing with severe heat wave conditions during the past several weeks. The people are facing an acute shortage of water.
Suicide count
While at least three-dozen of farmers committed suicide owing to crop loss and debts since June last year, hundreds of farmers have lost their paddy, sugarcane, sericulture, ragi and other crops because of the drought.
Of the four taluks, Kanakapura has been the worst hit by the drought.
The committee, comprising Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Social Welfare Minister H. Anjaneya, Minister for Information R. Roshan Baig and Revenue Minister V. Srinivas Prasad will study the prevailing drought situation, R.F. Jamadar, Deputy Commissioner of Ramanagaram, said.
Speaking to The Hindu on Tuesday, Mr. Jamadar said that the team would inspect water-bodies and farmlands in Magadi and Ramanagaram, besides convening a meeting with the officials.
KRRS to submit memorandum
According to a senior Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha leader, farmers are planning to submit a memorandum to the team besides urging the ministers to inspect the dried lakes and wells at farmlands.
Hundreds of farmers have lost paddy, sugarcane, sericulture, ragi and other crops
