Bijapur/Chitradurga:
The Central teams drafted for an on the spot assessment of the drought situation in Karnataka visited parts of Bijapur and Chitradurga on Thursday.
The six-member team, headed by Central Agriculture Secretariat Managing Director Paravesh Sharma, visited Jalageri, Jalageri Tanda, Takkalaki Goshala and Arakeri village in Bijapur taluk and interacted with locals and heard their grievances.
Another team consisting of Animal Husbandry and Fishery Department Director A Nandakumar, Horticulture Department Commissioner M Tamilselvan and Central Finance Secretariat Assistant Director Mukhesh Sharma visited Chadachan, Horti, Inchageri and Jigajevanagi villages in Indi taluk.
The team led by Central Tobacco Board Director Manohar visited the perennially drought hit Challakere taluk in Chitradurga district.
Several people complained that they were not getting proper wages under the Employment Guarantee Scheme and there are no proper facilities at Goshalas.
Manohar said the team would submit its findings to the Centre in about 10 days.
Karnataka government has been demanding Rs 11,000 crore financial aid from the Centre to tackle the worst ever drought situation batterring more than 143 taluks out of 176.