Karnataka declares 19 more taluks as drought-hit

The Karnataka government on Saturday declared 19 more taluks as drought-hit taking the total taluks affected by scarcity conditions to 142.

Incidentally, the 19 taluks fall under Bengaluru, Shimoga, Chikmagalur, Mysore and Beglaum districts, which normally known to receive good rains.

The taluks which were declared as drought prone are Anekal, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore South, Bangalore East, Hoskote, Nelamangala, Ramanagar, Malur, Channagiri, Harihara, Hunsur, H D Kote, Gokak, Bhadravathi, Shimoga, Shikaripura, Tarikere, Channagiri and Alur, an official release said in Bengaluru.

To mitigate the sufferings of farmers reeling under worst drought in four decades in several parts of Karnataka, the government had on Tuesday announced a Rs 3,500-crore  package waiving farms loan up to Rs 25,000.