Vijayapura MLA alleges govt inaction on water crisis

Congress legislator from Indi constituency in Vijayapura district of Karnataka, Yeshwantrayegouda Patil, on Tuesday has accused the government of not answering to his pleas over acute water shortage in his constituency and has warned of resigning from his assembly membership.

Patil’s ultimatum comes after he had requested the government to put in efforts over the issue of acute water shortage crippling the agriculture sector in his constituency. The dire situation in Vijayapur and Bagalkot districts has left crops withering due to prolonged drought. “Crops cultivated in hundreds of hectares of land are withering in Vijayapur and Bagalkot districts due to drought. I’ll resign from my post if water is not released to the last village of my constituency,” Patil said.

Patil, who is serving his third consecutive term from Indi, explained that an extensive region comprising Vijaypur, Bagalkot, Koppal, Raichur, Kalaburagi, and Bidar districts in northern Karnataka has transformed into a parched expanse this year due to lack of rainfall.

“The people from our region will survive if water is supplied to our fields, else the state will experience another exodus in search of jobs to neighbouring Goa, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh,” he said.

Reacting to legislator Patil’s remarks, Vijayapur district in-charge minister MB Patil told HT, “The entire Vijayapur district has been declared as drought-affected. To save the standing crops, water will be released to the Krishna right bank canal, which can be used for the crops.” He assured that the water will be released shortly to prevent crop loss due to non-availability of water.

“The government will soon announce drought relief compensation, and farmers should not take any drastic steps,” he said, adding that the government has instructed financial institutions not to put pressure on farmers to repay their agricultural loans.