22 more taluks in Karnataka declared drought hit

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Friday issued an official notification declaring 22 more taluks drought affected, based on another round of crop survey and ground truthing report conducted in the past one week.

Out of these, 11 taluks have been identified as facing "severe drought". With this, a total of 216 taluks -- out of the total of 236 taluks in the state -- have been declared as drought affected, which includes 189 severe drought-hit and 27 moderate drought-hit taluks.

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that another memorandum will be submitted to the central gover nment seeking additional relief funds.

In the first phase, 195 talukas out of 236 talukas of the state were declared drought-affected, he said, "but, this year there has been a severe drought and almost all districts are rain-deficit. Hence there was a demand to declare the rest of the taluks also as drought affected."

A cabinet sub-committee had met on October 9, where deputy commissioners were instructed to conduct another round of crop surveys.