Karnataka tags 101 taluks drought-hit after a 30% monsoon shortfall

Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara said on Thursday that 101 taluks will be declared drought-hit in the first phase. Thirty-two more that passed the Centre’s Trigger-1 test are under review. Of the 101, 89 are classed severe and 12 moderate. The state will send a memorandum seeking central assistance before the month ends.

Karnataka received 465 mm of rain from 1 June to 26 August against a normal 666 mm, a 30 per cent deficit. South Interior Karnataka is 41 per cent short, North Interior 31 per cent, the Malnad 35 per cent and the coast 24 per cent. One hundred and ninety taluks in 29 districts sit in deficit or large-deficit categories. Twelve have a large deficit.

One hundred and thirty-four taluks had dry spells of more than three weeks and qualified under Trigger-1 of the Drought Manual, 2020. Ground-truthing at hobli level cut that list to 101. Groundwater is below the ten-year average in 132 taluks. Reservoirs hold about 684 TMC against 815 TMC at this point last year. The Moisture Adequacy Index on 26 August showed soil-moisture stress in 178 taluks.

Why the 2023 file is being cited

Parameshwara said the 2023 drought cost the state about ₹39,000 crore. Karnataka asked for ₹18,000 crore and, after protests and a Supreme Court intervention, received ₹3,500 crore. He said that sequence should not repeat. The government has already released ₹635 crore and is moving water and fodder.

Tumakuru and Mysuru each have nine taluks in the severe list. Chikkaballapura has eight. Chamarajanagar, Bagalkot, Mandya and Kolar have five each. Four Bengaluru Urban taluks — Anekal, Bengaluru North, Bengaluru East and Yelahanka — are on it. The first-phase list will be reviewed every 15 days. More taluks can be added.

The national monsoon is also short. That is why a state that usually argues about floods in the west and dry belts in the north is writing a drought memo in late August.