Karnataka Chief Minister Declares Severe Drought Across 200 Taluks

Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announced that Karnataka is facing a severe drought affecting more than 200 of the state's 239 taluks. As of September 14, between 100 and 102 taluks have been officially declared drought-hit. Data from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre indicates a significant rainfall deficit, with September rainfall falling 81 percent below normal levels, leading to a drastic drop in groundwater and widespread crop destruction.

The water crisis has directly impacted energy production. Peak power demand exceeded 19,000 MW last week, forcing the government to purchase electricity at emergency rates between ₹11 and ₹13 per unit. To stabilize the grid, the government is utilizing the One Nation, One Grid system to source power from other regions and is exploring increased thermal power generation near coal reserves.

Shivakumar has scheduled a special legislative session for September 21-23 to address farmers' concerns and the Kasturi Rangan report. Additionally, the state Cabinet will meet in Dakshina Kannada on September 18 to discuss regional development and strategies to prevent employment-driven migration.