Bengaluru: Water resources minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy has appealed to opposition leaders to cooperate in ensuring a smooth and substantive discussion during the three-day special session of the Karnataka legislature beginning September 21.
The special session will focus on the state’s drought situation and the Kasturirangan report. Cheluvarayaswamy made the appeal in letters addressed to Assembly opposition leader R. Ashoka, JD(S) legislature party leader C.B. Suresh Babu and Legislative Council opposition leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy.
The minister said the session should provide an opportunity for a bipartisan discussion on the impact of drought on rural communities and livestock, drinking water shortages, crop losses, relief measures and the assistance Karnataka expects from the Centre.
Cheluvarayaswamy said the implications of implementing the Kasturirangan report in the Western Ghats required a detailed discussion, particularly its potential impact on farmers, rural residents, small businesses and local economic activity.
He said the debate should go beyond allegations and counter-allegations and instead consider facts, data, expert views and the interests of people living in the affected areas while discussing measures required from both the state and central governments.
According to the state government, 124 taluks have been declared drought-hit following field-level assessments. The number rose after 23 additional taluks were included in the drought-hit list on September 18.
The minister said the government had released ₹1 crore each to all 224 Assembly constituencies to address drinking water requirements and prevent shortages.
Farmers and others in drought-hit taluks have also been given a 12-month moratorium on repayment of KCC, agriculture, dairy, sericulture and fisheries loans, he said.
Cheluvarayaswamy also flagged concerns over declining water storage in reservoirs and the possibility of drinking water shortages during the coming summer.
He particularly referred to water levels in reservoirs in the Cauvery basin, saying the availability of Cauvery water and projected summer demand, including Bengaluru’s requirements, would need to be factored into advance planning.
The minister said the special session should provide a platform for a detailed discussion on farmers’ difficulties and the possible implications of the Kasturirangan report. He urged BJP and JD(S) legislators to cooperate in ensuring that the three-day proceedings are conducted smoothly and allow for meaningful debate.
