From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Mysuru, Sep 11: With the failure of monsoon and many taluks across the State facing condition of water scarcity, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said the next cabinet meeting will discuss the situation and the number of taluks affected by drought conditions will be decided.
The State Government has already collected information in accordance with
the guidelines laid down by the Centre in respect of 62 taluks and details were awaited from another 136 taluks.
"A decision on declaring the total number of taluks affected by drought conditions and implementation of the drought relief measures will be taken at the next meeting of the State Cabinet,’’ he said.
Speaking to media persons in Mysuru on Monday, he urged all political parties not to play politics as far as issues concerning farmers and agriculture are involved.
He attacked the opposition BJP, which had promised to extend full support to the government on the Cauvery river water issue during the deliberations of the all-party meeting held recently for resorting to political games and accusing the government of neglecting the farmers.
The chief minister said the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not giving necessary approvals for implementing the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project, which would have helped the people and farmers of both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
He pointed out that Tamil Nadu has no valid reasons for opposing Mekedatu project and it is the BJP which is creating problems. Karnataka has no problem to release 177.25 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu in a normal year while in a distress year like the present, it will be impossible to adhere to the limit fixed by the Tribunal.
In a distress year like the present, the distress must also be shared proportionately and it is not correct to insist on the limits fixed by the Tribunal, he said.
The first priority of the State Government is supply of drinking water to the people of Bengaluru and Mysuru districts and also protecting the interests of
Karnataka’s farmers, he said and urged the State BJP leaders to prevail upon the Centre to give an appointment to meet the Prime Minister for an all-party delegation as decided at the all-party meeting.
"The government has sought an appointment to meet Modi and let the BJP MPs exert pressure on their own government at the Centre,’’ he said.
Answering questions, he said it is impossible to hold simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and all State Assemblies and the BJP’s gimmick of ‘’One Nation, One Election,’’ is impractical.
He said BJP and Modi have become frustrated after BJP’s defeat in Karnataka assembly elections and the opposition party has failed to elect its own opposition leader even after four months since the assembly elections.
Responding to a question on JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy’s claim that he had tried to join BJP, Siddaramaiah declared that he had never compromised with a communal party like BJP.
"I have been fighting communal forces throughout my political career. It is the JD(S) which is aligning with BJP to further its family politics and abandoning the principle of secularism, which is there in its name,’’ he said. "Under no circumstances, I will join hands or compromise with BJP,’’ he asserted.
The chief minister said the State Government cannot concede the demand of the private transport operators to compensate them for the losses incurred by them due to the implementation of the Shakti guarantee offering free travel to women in government buses.
Shakti programme has benefitted crores of women and the government cannot bail out the private transport operators for their losses, he said.
Adichunchanagiri Math function
Later, the chief minister inaugurated the new building, cultural building and free hostel for students of the Sri Adichunchanagiri Math in Mysuru.
Siddaramaiah appreciated the free hostel facility provided to 200 students and education empowers the students. "Learning to read and write is not education. One must learn to develop the scientific temper and rational thinking. There is no use in becoming communal or castiest after being educated,’’ he said.
The Adichunchanagiri Mutt has a rich history of 1800 years and has been rendering yeomen service in education and health sectors besides propagating religion, he said pointing out that it was the Congress government which decided to observe Kempegowda Jayanti.