From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 4: With Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah slated to present the State’s annual budget for the year 2017-18 on March 17, former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda has threatened to launch an agitation in front of the Chief Minister’s residence if the State Government fails to provide compensation to farmers who had lost crops due to drought and ensure drinking water to residents of Hassan City.

Gowda, who is also the Lok Sabha member from Hassan, said the State Government has not responded his plea to supply drinking water to residents of Hassan City from the Yagachi reservoir.

An appeal was made to provide financial compensation to farmers of the district who had lost crops owing to scarcity of water, he said lamenting that no action has been taken up either to solve drinking water problem or providing compensation to farmers so far.

The district administration too has not been responding to the grievances of the public, Gowda added.

The former Prime Minister said he has already urged Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely to ensure grant of Rs 300 crore for Mahamastakabhisheka Festival in Hassan to be held in February 2018.