Karnataka government to file criminal cases against lake encroachers

…Ministry of Jal Shakti in New Delhi, said providing drinking water to rural areas is a major challenge as Karnataka is the second most drought-prone State in the country and groundwater levels are declining steadily. “ The presence of rocks and laterite deposits has prevented rainwater from percolating into the soil and contributed to declining groundwater levels in the State. Excessive extraction of groundwater has also led to depletion of the underground water table. In such a situation, surface water sources will be the main lifeline in the coming days. Therefore, lakes, tanks, reservoirs and rivers must be protected, failing which the State could face severe water scarcity ,” he said. He also said that, during the summit, he had called for the formulation of a national plan to protect water bodies from pollution, waste dumping and encroachment. Water budgeting The Minister added that…