Prithviraj Chavan looks to Karnataka as drought looms

In an effort to help the areas reeling under the drought along the Maharashtra and Karnataka border, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan (pictured right), on Monday, sought help from the neighbour state.

“I have urged the government of Karnataka to release water from its dam to meet the water crisis in 44 villages along the Maharashtra border,” said Chavan. “The situation in Sangli and Satara districts is of serious concern. The administration has been directed to deploy additional tankers to meet the drinking water requirements there.”

The government took this decision after the 44 sarpanchs (village heads) dotted across the borders threatened to merge with the state of Karnataka.

The Maharashtra government has also urged the Centre to provide a financial package of Rs1,050 crore to tackle the drought situation in nine of its badly-affected districts — Sangli, Satara, Solapur, Osmanabad, Latur, Pune, Dhule, Nashik and Ahmednagar.
In a letter written to the state government, the elected local bodies in 44 villages said that if the situation does not improve soon, they would decide to break all ties with Maharashtra by this week.
In an ultimatum to express their displeasure they said they will hold a meeting this week where a resolution will be passed to give the villages consent to merge with Karnataka.

“The chief minister has immediately risen to the situation to make provisions in these villages facing severe drought situation. The biggest concern relates to providing water which cannot be tackled unless Karnataka releases water from its dam for drinking purposes in these villages in Jat taluka in Sangli district,” said a source in the CMO.

Chavan has also urged state officials to start preparations to tackle delayed rains in the drought-hit districts.
State officials admitted that neither Karnataka nor Maharashtra can take any step regarding merger of villages as the matter related to the 835 villages along the Maharashtra-Karnataka border is still pending in the Supreme Court.

However, the Maharashtra government is worried because if the villages unofficially align with the state of Karnataka it would lead to a law and order problem and political confrontation.