The Belagavi district administration and the zilla panchayat will take a series of steps towards drought-proofing the district, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer K.V. Rajendra said here on Monday.
These steps include watershed development, economic use of water, afforestation and protection and preservation of forests and waterbodies.
He was speaking at a drinking water and sanitation committee meeting. Several water sources, including borewells and surface water sources, have gone dry across the district. The National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) has solutions for most of these problems. “We will be utilising these programmes and funds under MGNREGA and NRDWP,” Dr. Rajendra said. Each gram panchayat will be empowered to plan and implement such works, he said.
He asked officials to focus on long-term measures. All pending drinking water works should be completed in time, he instructed officials. He then set a July-end deadline for completing all works. All overhead tanks in dilapidated condition will be demolished. A survey of such structures will be completed in two weeks, he said.
The State government has granted ₹ 98.25 crore for Belagavi district. This will be spent on single village and multi village schemes and special development programmes.
A total of 683 drinking water works will be taken up or completed in the district, he said.
MLA Mahantesh Doddagoudar said that gram panchayats lacked funds to demolish the structures and sought assistance from the zilla panchayat.
MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar asked officials to start using newly constructed tanks without delay. She also sought some schemes for her constituency.
MLA Mahantesh Koujalagi demanded that funds granted to Bailhongal taluk be divided among Kittur and Bailhongal constituencies.
Panchayat president Asha Aihole, deputy secretary S.B. Mullalli and others were present.