Bengaluru, September 8 (Daily Kiran) : The Karnataka government is in the process of assessing the drought situation, with Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara announcing that 25 additional taluks are expected to be declared drought-affected soon. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he emphasized that the second phase of the drought assessment is currently underway.
Parameshwara stated that the initial phase had already identified 101 taluks as drought-affected. He assured that the assessment process is ongoing and will continue until the conditions of the southwest and northeast monsoons become clearer.
“Last year, approximately 200 taluks were declared drought-affected. This year, we might see similar numbers, with over 200 taluks potentially facing drought conditions, excluding the coastal areas,” he noted.
Responding to concerns from some legislators who claimed their constituencies were intentionally omitted from the drought list, Parameshwara reassured that no one should worry about being overlooked despite the severe drought. He clarified that the decision on which taluks are designated as drought-affected is not influenced by political affiliations.
He added, “The state government has no role in deciding which taluks are declared drought-affected. Allegations of deliberately excluding certain areas are unfounded.”
Parameshwara explained that drought identification is based on satellite imagery, ground verification, and scientific assessment, adhering to the rules set by the central government. He highlighted that if the state government declares drought-affected areas independently, it could hinder the process of obtaining federal assistance.
On the topic of land issues related to the NICE project and allegations involving former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, he dismissed claims that cabinet ministers were benefiting from land acquired from affected individuals. He clarified that the government decided to allocate 1,453 sites based on humanitarian grounds and the Supreme Court’s directives, ensuring that farmers who lost significant land for minimal compensation are not further wronged.
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