161 taluks  severely affected and 34 others moderately affected

Bengaluru: A day after the Cabinet meeting, the Karnataka Government on Thursday issued an official order declaring 195 taluks in the State as drought-hit including nine taluks surrounding the capital city.

The State is facing a deficient rainfall of more than 30 percent during the current                                      South-West monsoon.

Chief Minister Siddharamaiah said 195 taluks in the State have been declared as drought hit (161 taluks severe and 34 moderate) as per the norms.

Pointing out that the State has 236 taluks in 31 districts, the CM said as per the NDRF and SDRF (National and State Disaster Response Fund) norms, 195 taluks have been declared as drought-hit after getting a survey done and going through its report.

As per the Union Government’s guidelines, following the survey, 161 taluks have been declared severely drought-hit and 34 taluks as moderately drought-hit.

There are 40 other taluks facing rainfall deficiency, he said adding that however, the Government is not able to declare them as drought-hit, as per the guidelines.

Siddharamaiah further said that the State would seek drought relief from the Centre and would be submitting a memorandum in this regard to the Centre shortly.

In Mysuru district, barring K.R. Nagar taluk, all other eight taluks — Mysuru, H.D. Kote, Hunsur, Nanjangud, Periyapatna, T. Narasipur, Saragur and Saligrama — have been declared severely drought-affected.

In Mandya all the taluks — K.R. Pet, Maddur, Malavalli, Mandya, Nagamangala, Pandavapura and Srirangapatna — have been declared severely drought-affected.

In Kodagu, Madikeri, Virajpet and Kushalnagar taluks have been declared severely drought-affected, while Somwarpet taluk has been declared moderately affected.

 Chamarajanagar district has got some respite as  Gundlupet, Kollegal and Hanur taluks have been declared moderately affected while none of the taluks of the district has been declared as severely affected.