Drought situation ‘grim’ as 156 taluks in Karnataka face water crisis
The
Karnataka government has stated that the drought situation in the state is grim.
Deficient rainfall during kharif and rabi seasons in 2018–19 has had led to
water crisis in several parts of the state and worsened the condition of
farmers.
Drought
is generally considered as a deficiency in rainfall over an extended period resulting
in a water shortage causing adverse impacts on vegetation, animals, and/or
people. According to India Meteorological Department, meteorological drought (i.e. when
dry weather patterns dominate an area) is defined as a situation when the
seasonal rainfall received over the area is less than75% of its long term
average value.
It is further classified as “moderate drought” if the rainfall
deficit is between 26-50% and “severe drought” when the deficit
exceeds 50% of the normal.
The
Karnataka government had also requested the Centre to immediately release funds
as stipulated under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to the State.
National
Disaster Response Fund is a fund managed by the Central Government for meeting
the expenses for emergency response, relief and rehabilitation due to any
threatening disaster situation or disaster. NDRF is constituted to supplement
the funds of the State Disaster Response Funds (SDRF) of the states to
facilitate immediate relief in case of calamities of a severe nature.
In
2016, the Supreme Court in the case Swaraj Abhiyan Vs. Union of India, had
stated that that drought would certainly fall within the definition of
“disaster” as defined the Disaster Management (DM) Act, 2005. The DM Act 2005
provides for effective management of disasters.
