Date:10/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/10/stories/2006111008740400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Two Central study teams begin tour

Special Correspondent

130 taluks have been declared drought-hit

Third Central team to arrive in State today

Jagadish Shettar

BANGALORE: Minister for Revenue Jagadish Shettar has said that two of the three teams deputed by the Centre for an assessment of the drought situation in the State had begun their tour from Thursday.

Addressing presspersons here, he said another team would arrive here on Friday. The teams would tour Chitradurga, Kolar, Tumkur, Bidar, Raichur, Bellary, Gulbarga, Haveri, Gadag and Bagalkot districts.

The State has declared 130 taluks as drought-hit following failure of rain.

Pawar's assurance

Mr. Shettar said Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had assured a State delegation, led by Deputy Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa, that one lakh tonnes of foodgrains would be released to take up relief works in the drought-hit areas.

The delegation met Mr. Pawar in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The Government had requested nine lakh tonnes of foodgrains and Rs. 1,200-crore assistance for drought relief works. The Centre had already released Rs. 250 crore for drought-related works.

A sum of Rs. 1 crore had been released to each of the drought-hit taluks, Mr. Shettar said.

Migration

Because of the drought, labourers of Koppal, Raichur and Haveri districts were migrating to other districts seeking work.

The number of people migrating to other areas was high this year.

The daily wage for labourers was Rs. 70 in Koppal district as against Rs. 120 in the districts of south Karnataka, he said.

The Government had decided to amend the Karnataka Land Reforms Act to help those who had not got tenancy rights in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts.

Bill

A Bill to amend the Act would be introduced in the coming legislature session, he said.

On the Kalasa-Banduri nala project, Mr. Shettar said the Central Pollution Control Board had asked the Government to stop the work as the State had not obtained its permission. But the Government was going ahead with the project since it was being constructed in a non-forest area.

The project was taken up to ensure regular drinking water to residents of Hubli-Dharwad, he said.