Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner Gurudatta Hegade has instructed officers to ensure there is no problem in supplying drinking water across the district. The officer held a video conference with tahsildars, executive officers of the taluk panchayat, and engineers of the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department.
The Deputy Commissioner reviewed the measures taken by officers in each taluk to tackle the drought. The supply of drinking water should be done with tankers, that have already registered with the concerned department. The suppliers should have GPS installed on the tractors so their movements can be tracked. The Deputy Commissioner told the officers to clear the tanker bills once every 15 days. The officers of the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department were told to check the quality of water being supplied at least once a week.
Following recent rains, the problem had subsided in parts of Soraba, Sagara and Tirthahalli taluks. However, the officers should be prepared to address the problem again, if there are no rains next week.
Further, the Deputy Commissioner instructed the officers to be prepared for the onset of the monsoon. The drains should be cleaned before the rains and the areas vulnerable to flooding should be listed well in advance, he said. He also suggested the officers get action plans prepared considering the incidents of flooding reported in the last five years. The Deputy Commissioner called upon coordination among officers of the Revenue, Forest, Police, and PWD to act in cases of landslides and uprooting of trees during rains.
