Replying to a two-hour discussion following a motion moved in the Assembly by K.C. Joseph to deliberate on the drought situation prevailing in the State, Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran said the districts of Palakkad and Malappuram were already in the grip of drought, although a better part of the summer season was yet to unfold.
He said the State government had released Rs.15 crore for relief work and would sanction the release of more funds after assessing the drought situation from time to time.
Water scarcity was now being reported from many parts of the State.
Increasing the forest cover in the State, enforcing in letter and spirit the provisions of the law the State government had enacted against filling paddy fields, initiating a watershed-based water management strategy to recharge the groundwater resources and saving the rivers from pollution were some of the steps the members suggested during the discussion to reduce the severity of water scarcity.
Forest Minister Benoy Viswom spoke of the massive greening programme the government had undertaken in the State with the cooperation of people.
Statutory authority
Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran said the government was working on legislation for constituting a statutory authority for initiating measures to rejuvenate all the rivers in the State.
P. Jayarajan, Sreyams Kumar, P. Raveendranath, Rajaji Mathew Thomas, T.U. Kuruvila, T.N. Prathapan, A.A. Azeez, A.K. Sasheendran, C.P. Mohammed, M. Prakashan, Roshi Augustine and K. Mohammedunni Haji participated in the discussion.
Source: The Hindu, 31st March 2010
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