The drought situation is intensifying in Mysuru district with over 108 villages facing drinking water scarcity and the concerned officials have been tasked by the district administration to ensure water is availabile in those villages on a priority basis.
Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra, who chaired the district disaster management committee meeting at his office here on Friday amidst worsening drought situation, directed the officials from the local bodies, city corporation, gram panchayats, and authorities engaged in the distribution of drinking water to identify water sources, conserve and rejuvenate them so that they could come to the rescue of the people and the cattle amidst the crisis.
Department of Village Drinking Water and Sanitation Executive Engineer Ranjith said nine private borewells have been taken on rent to supply water to the affected villages. In Periyapatna town, there is a water crisis in nine wards and water was being supplied through tankers, he said.
New borewells
Amidst complaints of indiscriminate drilling of borewells, the Deputy Commissioner said it is mandatory to secure permission from the authorities concerned for drilling new borewells. It is compulsory to seek the permission of the Gram Panchayats, local bodies, and corporations 25 days before drilling the new borewells. The private borewells have to be drilled 500 meters away from the public borewells.
Vijaypura incident
In the wake of the Vijayapura incident where a boy, who had fallen into a defunct borewell, was rescued, the deputy commissioner gave directions for immediate closure of defunct borewells. Such incidents should not repeat. In case the borewell fails, it is the responsibility of the concerned to get the borewell closed to prevent such incidents. The responsibility lies on the borewell drillers/operators. In case any such incidents happen, then the officers concerned will be made accountable and action will be taken against them, the deputy commissioner warned.
At the meeting, the deputy commissioner told the bank officers not to forget human values when it comes to loan recovery in view of the drought.
Concerning fodder availability, the deputy commissioner said some farmer leaders had complained of fodder crisis in some villages and told the officers from the Department of Animal Husbandry to take them into confidence and visit the affected villages.
All measures have to be taken to ensure that there was no inter-State transport of fodder and the vigil has to be strict on the border, he said.
The Animal Husbandry Deputy Director said fodder is available for the next three to four weeks in the district. Already, 36,000 fodder kits have been distributed and another 36,000 kits will be distributed soon.
As the summer heat soaring, affecting the people at large with the heat wave intensifying, he said public awareness has to be spread on measures that need to be taken during the heatwave situation. The people must avoid eating street foods and more water has to be consumed for keeping the body hydrated.
