The government has declared seven more taluks as drought-hit in the State. With this, the total number of drought-hit taluks has gone up to 149.
Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa told mediapersons here on Sunday that as many as 123 taluks were declared drought-hit in the first phase, followed by 19 more taluks in the second phase. Now, Sagar, Sorab, Joida, Haliyal, Mundagod, Belgaum and Khanapur had been added to the list. On Union ministers Sharad Pawar and Jairam Ramesh’s visit to Bangalore to take stock of drought situation, Eshwarappa said: “They have failed to meet our demands and their apathy disappointed us. Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar will hold talks with leaders of all parties to discuss the next move on August 8.” Eviction The deputy chief minister said the officials of the Revenue and Forest departments have acted on the court’s direction to clear encroachment and reclaim forest land from farmers in Sorab taluk. The drive did not mean the government was against the poor, he clarified.“We have decided to regularise houses with an intention to allot sites for the poor in rural areas. A proposal has been submitted to the governor for approval,” he said. Special status Eshwarappa welcomed the Centre’s decision to table a Bill on amending Article 371 of the Constitution to accord special status to Hyderabad-Karnataka region in the monsoon session of Parliament on August 8. If the Bill is passed, it will help provide reservation in education and employment for people of the region. Besides, it will give an impetus to economic development with special focus on infrastructure, he added.