Steps to ensure drinking watersupply in drought-hit districts

The State Relief Commissioner has issued operational guidelines to ensure the supply of drinking water to parched areas in nine drought-affected districts in the State.

The guidelines were issued on March 28 following a notification declaring Alappuzha, Kannur, Idukki, Kasaragod, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur and Wayanad districts as drought-hit for the 2017-18 Rabi season.

The Collectors in the nine districts have been authorised to tap the State Disaster Response Fund to ensure supply of drinking water. They have been directed to deploy GPS-equipped tanker lorries to refill water kiosks established in the parched areas. The operation would be supervised by the District Emergency Operations Centre.

The Collectors have been directed to establish more water kiosks or reach water directly in tanker lorries based on the requirement and local circumstances.

For Palakkad, the GO authorises relief assistance for farmers if the crop loss is estimated to be higher than 33%. It also authorises the district administration to take up relief works to the tune of ₹1 crore in the animal husbandry sector.

Besides, the Alappuzha District Collector has been directed to deploy boats and country craft to reach water to families in areas inaccessible by tanker lorries.

The guidelines were issued on March 28 after the State Disaster Management Authority chaired by the Chief Minister decided to declare Alappuzha, Kannur, Idukki, Kasaragod, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur and Wayanad districts as drought-hit based on the report of the India Meteorology Department and the State drought monitoring cell.

The IMD had reported that there was considerable rainfall deficit in these districts during the last North-East monsoon, triggering a drinking water crisis.