The government has declared seven more taluks as drought-hit in the State. With this, the total number of drought-hit taluks has gone up to 149. Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa told mediapersons here on Sunday that as many as 123 taluks were declared drought-hit in the first phase, followed by 19 more taluks in the second phase.

Now, Sagar, Sorab, Joida, Haliyal, Mundagod, Belgaum and Khanapur had been added to the list. On Union ministers Sharad Pawar and Jairam Ramesh’s visit to Bangalore to take stock of drought situation, Eshwarappa said: “They have failed to meet our demands and their apathy disappointed us.