Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, May 16: Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday, May 15 directed officials to equip all tankers supplying water to drought-hit villages and towns with Global Positioning System (GPS) to prevent misuse.

This was the first comprehensive review since the model code of conduct for Lok Sabha elections came into force and it was only last week the Election Commission permitted the state’s political leadership to hold such meetings.

Kumaraswamy, Revenue Minister R V Deshpande and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Krishna Byre Gowda reviewed the drought situation with deputy commissioners and Zilla Panchayat chief executive officers via video conference.

As many as 2,999 villages face serious water shortage. Over 2,000 tankers and over 1,800 private borewells have been hired to meet the need.

Availability of cattle fodder appears grim. Fodder banks across the state have 62.48 lakh tonnes of fodder for 1.29 crore cattle and the stock is expected to last only for 12 weeks.