Bengaluru, July 3 -- Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday directed officials of the Energy Department to work out a special emergency action plan in view of the possibility of a decline in hydroelectric power generation due to the El Nino effect.

The Chief Minister conducted a progress review of the Energy Department, the first after assuming office, and sought details on what precautionary measures the Department has taken to deal with drought conditions. He also directed officials that necessary steps be taken to ensure adequate power supply and pay urgent attention to storage and generation from other sources.

He instructed that coal mines reserved for the government be made operational for energy security and that an ade...