Mandya: A BJP delegation led by leader of the opposition in the assembly, R Ashoka, on Saturday visited the KRS dam to review the situation in the wake of weak monsoon.The BJP delegation received information from officials of the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam.Leader of the opposition in the legislative council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy was part of the delegation that visited the dam to assess the situation.Speaking to reporters after the inspection, Ashoka alleged that the Congress govt had failed to prepare for the emerging drought situation. He said only 6 TMC of water was available in the KRS reservoir, while nearly 3 TMC was required every month to meet drinking water needs. At the current level, he claimed, the reservoir could supply drinking water for only about two months.Ashoka said more than one lakh hectares in the command area were under sugarcane cultivation, and criticised chief minister DK Shivakumar’s advice to farmers not to cultivate water-intensive crops. He demanded that the govt either ensure irrigation water or compensate farmers adequately. He urged the govt to announce compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre for farmers who were unable to take up cultivation due to water shortage.Claiming that only about 5% sowing had taken place in the state, Ashoka said the govt should have convened an all-party meeting and held discussions with farmer leaders to chalk out contingency measures. Instead, he alleged that the govt was focused on infrastructure tenders rather than addressing the drought situation.Ashoka said that the KRS reservoir was receiving an inflow of around 900 cusecs while outflow was higher, and sought transparency in water management. He warned that if the govt failed to respond promptly to the crisis, it would face the anger of farmers across the state.Law & order situation has deteriorated in state: AshokaResponding to the firing incident involving a truck driver in Mandya, Ashoka alleged that law and order had deteriorated in the district, and demanded strict action against those responsible. He also alleged irregularities in the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, claiming the Congress was attempting to protect votes of illegal Bangladeshi migrants, and said he wrote to the Election Commission seeking its intervention.
