Kalaburagi officials told to act to prevent calamities due to heavy rain

Deputy Commissioner B. Fouzia Taranum has directed officials of all departments concerned to work with utmost responsibility to prevent calamities due to heavy rainfall lashing Kalaburagi district.

Chairing a review meeting through video conference at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Wednesday, Ms. Taranum assessed the situation caused by incessant rainfall, including loss of lives, damage to houses, crop destruction and the progress of relief measures under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund.

The Deputy Commissioner instructed officials to immediately visit rain-affected areas, assess crop damage and submit reports so that compensation can be released without delay.

“Joint crop loss surveys must be completed within two or three days and reports should be uploaded with GPS photographs on the relief portal,” she said.

Joint Director of Agriculture Samad Patel told the meeting that the district has received 632 mm of rainfall since January 1, 2025 against a normal of 418 mm, an excess of 51%.

He said that while the target for kharif sowing was 8.90 lakh hectares, crops have been sown in 8.67 lakh hectares so far. Continuous rain, however, poses the risk of damage to standing crops, he added.

The Deputy Commissioner also ordered officials to identify dilapidated school, college and anganwadi buildings and shift students and residents elsewhere to avert untoward incidents. She further told them to pay precautionary visits to relief centres in every taluk to ensure public safety.

With reservoirs in the district filling up, officials reported water levels in the Amarja at 458.57 m, Bennethora 437.80 m, Chandrampalli 486.8 m, Gandorinala 465.50 m and Mullamari at 489.55 m.

The Deputy Commissioner urged engineers to closely monitor inflows.

On the health front, Ms. Taranum cautioned that heavy rain can trigger outbreak of vector-borne diseases. She instructed District Health and Family Welfare Officer Sharanabasappa Kyatanal to take steps against dengue, chikungunya and other communicable diseases.

Municipal Commissioner Avinash Shinde said that ward-wise task forces have been constituted, roads are being repaired and steps are being taken to prevent contamination of drinking water.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Rayappa Hunasagi stressed the need for barricades on bridges along the Bhima and deployment of police personnel to avoid accidents due to high inflows.

Additional Superintendent of Police Mahesh Meghannanavar also called for strict vigilance to prevent loss of human and animal lives.

The meeting was attended by Superintendent of Police Adduru Srinivasalu, Assistant Commissioner Sahitya, officials from Agriculture, Horticulture, Revenue, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj departments, tahsildars from all taluks and other district-level officers.