Kerala Government today set up three task forces to tackle the serious situation the state was likely to face following deficit rainfall this year.
A high level committee, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, took the decision in this regard, a government press release said.
One of the task force will oversee rain water harvesting management througout the state on the lines of 'MazhaPolima', a project which seeks to create peoples movement on recharging of open wells through rain water harvest and was successfully launched in Thrissur district as part of National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme.
Local Self Government Secretary Dr V K Baby will have the charge of this task force.
Water Resources secretary Tinku Biswal will be incharge of the remaining two task forces, that would look into repairing of check dams and regulators and construction of temporary check dams an dcleaning of canals/ponds for storing rain water.
The Chief Minister also instructed that the task forces should immediately prepare their action plan and submit them on Aug 21 when the next meeting would be held.
Finance minister, Thomas Isaac, Revenue minister, E Chandrasekharan, Power minister, M M Mani, Water Resources minister, Mathew T Thomas, Forest minister, K Raju were among those who participated in the meeting.
As per the statistics of the IMD till Aug seven, Kerala had received deficit rainfall of 27 per cent, while Idukki, home to various hydel projects, had a shortfall of 36 per cent, Wayanad recorded a dip of 58 per cent.
The reservoirs in Idukki reservoirs there was only about 32 per cent water-- a shortfall of about 20 per cent.
During August-September, if the state receives copious rainfall, the crisis can be avoided, the release said.
The IMD feels the state will receive good rains in the coming three weeks.
Activities like utilisation of water carefully and rain water harvesting should be taken up immediately, Vijayan said.
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