K Srinivasan, a 2005-batch IAS officer who joined here as DC Palamu on February 16 held a high-level meeting here on Wednesday to tackle the recurring problem of drought-like situation in the district. The DC without any delay sat to solve the problem and called officers from agricultural department, co-operative department, lead bank, electricity, engineers from drinking water and sanitation department and from waterway sand minor irrigation etc.
Talking to The Pioneer, Srinivasan said there is a need to revive traditional water bodies in this district. The DC was apprised as to how land Mafias in the town have usurped the Government wells and ponds that are shrinking because of encroachment. The DC’s attention was drawn towards the growing drinking water crisis in the town’s Neemiya locality.
The Palamu administration has sought 5,560 quintals of rice from the State disaster management department to fight food crisis among the poor. The DC was reminded that in the early nineties there used to be Pani Panchayats here in this district to save the run off water. In other development, the DC has ordered to pay ex-gratia relief to the tune of RS1.50 lakh to each of the next of legal heir of the four labourers of Palamu who died in sleep in UP on February 15.