Mysore/Mysuru: With summer season fast approaching, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Dr. K.V. Rajendra asked officials to take precautionary steps and measures to ensure that there is no drinking water crisis in the district during summer.

He was presiding over the District Disaster Management Committee meeting at his office on Bannur Road in Siddarthanagar here recently.

Stressing on the need for officials to have complete and updated information regarding the availability of drinking water, Dr. Rajendra said that it is important to identify problematic areas and villages.

He directed the officials to enter into an agreement with owners of private lands where there are borewells, in order to mitigate drinking water crisis that might emerge during summer.

Continuing, the DC said that the Model Code of Conduct for the forthcoming LS polls is likely to come into force in a few days. As such, the concerned authorities must call tenders for supply of water to areas where there is shortage. Also, helplines must be set up to address drinking water issues in Urban Local Bodies limits, he said adding that the Health Department officials must check the purity and quality of the water being supplied.

Maintaining that there is no water crisis anywhere in the district as at present, Dr. Rajendra said that Rs. 50 lakh has been given to Tahsildars of every taluk in the district for drilling borewells wherever found necessary.

Stating that all the 9 taluks of the district have been declared drought-hit by the Government, he said that measures would be taken to ensure that villagers do not migrate to urban areas in search of jobs due to drought.

He instructed the officials to create as many jobs under MGNREGA scheme that would come to the help of the rural population. He further instructed to ensure that there is no shortage of fodder during summer.

Noting that officials must identify appropriate spots for drilling borewells wherever it is found necessary, he stressed on the need for the authorities to visit villages and rural areas for getting first hand information on the availability of water.

The DC also directed the officials to get confirmed whether drought relief money has reached                                                              the beneficiaries.

Additional DC P. Shivaraj, MCC Commissioner Ashaad-Ur-Rahman Shariff and other officials were present.