Karnataka drought: Severe drinking water shortage in 152 villages, says minister

Kalaburagi: Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge said that as many as 152 villages, in 100 gram panchayats of 36 taluks in Karnataka are in the grip of a severe shortage of potable drinking water. To address the issue, water is being distributed to these affected communities through tankers, he said.

The minister convened a meeting of officials from the rural water supply department to assess the current state of affairs concerning water supply in rural areas. Among the water-scare areas, 22 villages get water supply from the department's tankers, while 16 villages are serviced by tankers operating on contract. Each of these tankers operate average 17 trips per day. Moreover, 142 privately-owned borewells have been enlisted to cater to the water needs of 130 villages.

In a recent meeting, the minister asked chief executive officers of zilla panchayats to exercise strict caution over the rural water supply network. He announced to hold weekly review meetings to regularly assess the situation. He also asked the officials to promptly communicate any hurdles encountered in the process of water distribution in rural regions.