Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara on Monday said the state government has urged the Centre to relax existing guidelines for declaring drought, stating that the current norms prevent an official declaration despite worsening conditions in several regions.
Addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting, Parameshwara said 111 taluks in North Karnataka have experienced a prolonged dry spell over the past four weeks, with the rainfall deficit raising concerns over a possible drought. He said legislators and the public have been demanding an early declaration.
However, under the Centre’s guidelines, a drought cannot be declared before the end of August. “We have written to the Centre seeking relaxation of these rules,” he said.
Parameshwara added that the government would assess whether the affected areas fall under the Red or Yellow Zone before taking a final decision. The Revenue Department made a detailed presentation on the drought situation during the cabinet meeting.
He also noted that while parts of the state continue to face dry conditions, rainfall has improved in some regions. Reservoirs in the Cauvery basin, including the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam, have received significant inflows, with three major reservoirs nearing 90% capacity.
