Rs 82 cr sought for tackling rural water problem in K'taka

Bijapur, Mar 6: Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Minister Govind Karjol today (Mar 6, 2006) sought the state government to earmark Rs 82 crore in Budget for 2006-07 to tackle rural drinking water problem.

Talking to reporters here, he said ground water table was depleting every year, worsening the situation. Rain water harvesting and watershed programmes would be the only solution to this issue, he added.

He said about 21,000 villages of the total 56,000 in the state were facing acute water shortage, adding fluoride content in water was another main problem in over 10,000 villages. In the next five years, these villages would be covered under a scheme aimed at providing potable water, Mr Karjol said.

UNI