Yadgir district is reeling under drought. Most of natural sources, such as rivers, tanks and borewells, have gone dry with ground water level depleting considerably.
As many as 223 villages in the district are facing severe drinking water problem. Out of 223 villages in the district, 90 are in Yadgir taluk, 68 in Shahpur taluk and 65 are in Surpur taluk respectively. Of them, 50 villages are facing an acute shortage and authorities have been directed to supply water through tankers. Officials of the Rural Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation division claim that water is supplied through tankers to three villages, including a tanda.
The proposals of drinking water projects under various grants to drill new borewells and laying pipelines among other works are not implemented effectively, alleged Mallayya Polampalli, a social worker.
Owing to lack of interest by officials, a project to supply water to Gurmitkal town and 32 surrounding villages from the Bhima river had not been implemented, he charged.
Loan waiver sought
Due to lack of rains during both the Khariff and Rabi seasons last year, as many as 61 farmers, who suffered losses and were unable to repay loans, committed suicide. The families of 43 farmers received compensation of Rs. 5 lakh each, while 11 cases were rejected. The district administration was awaiting the forensic reports of seven other cases, it is said.
Ahead of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's scheduled visit to the district on Saturday, farmers’ leaders are demanding a waiver of farmers’ loans taken from banks and co-operative societies.
Mallikarjun Satyampet from the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and S.M. Sagar from Karnataka Pranta Raitha Sangha alleged that bankers continued to harass the farmers by demanding repayment. They urged the government to direct the bankers to stop harassing the farmers.
They also alleged that no action is being taken to implementation schemes under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to prevent large scale migration. Due to severe drought, people from rural areas are migrating to big cities to eke out a living.
Vikash Kishore Suralkar, Chief Executive Officer of Yadgir zilla panchayat, told The Hindu that Rs. 60 crore of the Rs. 101 crore released was spent so far and generated 15 lakh man days under MNREGA for 2015-16. Desiltation of tanks in several villages coming under 60 gram panchayats, construction of drainages and roads were some of the projects taken up, he added.
