Bengaluru, July 19 -- Karnataka is staring at a looming water and farm crisis after the southwest monsoon remained 39 per cent below normal till July 18, leaving reservoir storage almost half of last year's level, disrupting sowing operations and triggering drinking water shortages across hundreds of villages, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Sunday.
Chairing a high-level review meeting with Deputy Commissioners and Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officers, Shivakumar said the rainfall deficit has affected almost the entire state, with 158 taluks in 26 districts recording deficient rainfall and 20 taluks facing severe deficiency. Vijayanagar district has been the worst hit with a 67 per cent rainfall shortfall.
The state's major reser...