Everyone is facing power cut shock, says Yediyurappa as he highlights farmers' plight

Shivamogga (KTK): Veteran BJP leader BS Yediyurappa on Thursday said farmers were facing difficulties due to load shedding in different parts of the state amid drought and urged Karnataka government to take immediate steps to address it.

The former Chief Minister said he along with other state BJP leaders will soon begin their state-wide tour aimed at highlighting "failures" of the Congress government, and to strengthen his party ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

"It (load shedding) has already begun, everyone is facing the power cut shock, farmers' are not even getting 3-4 hours of electric supply to operate their pump sets. There is a strange situation, where our farmers, who are already in trouble due to drought, are not in a position to grow at least some quantity of crops, using their pump sets," Yediyurappa said.

He appealed to the government to take immediate measures to address the issue, responding to a question on load shedding resulting in power cuts in many parts of the state and trouble faced by farmers unable to operate their pump sets as a result.

Lamenting that the state is repeatedly facing "injustice", with respect to the issue of releasing Cauvery river water to neighbouring Tamil Nadu, Yediyurappa suggested that the government at least file an appeal before the Supreme Court and try to secure justice.

"Somehow the orders given by them (Cauvery Water Management Authority) are not to the satisfaction of any of us. Despite us not having enough water and there being a situation that may lead us to drinking water crisis -- there are questions as to how fair these orders are, asking us to release water," he said, and felt that there was no need for an all-party delegation to meet the central government in this regard.

The CWRC had on Wednesday recommended that Karnataka ensure the release of water from its reservoirs which would add up to 3,000 cusecs at Biligundlu (measuring station in Tamil Nadu) starting from October 16 (8 am) up to October 31.

The matter of release of water is expected to soon come up before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), which will issue an order based on the recommendation of the CWRC, its assisting body

Asked about his statewide tour along with other senior BJP leaders that was announced, Yediyurappa, who is also a member of the party's all important Parliamentary Board, said, "It should have started by now, but as I was told to wait due to festivals and other reasons, we waited. In three-four days we will decide and begin the tour."

Yediyurappa, in response to a question, urged the government to hold the winter session of the state legislature at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in the district headquarters town of Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra.

"We have built such a huge building (Suvarna Vidhana Soudha) in Belagavi, our expectation is that a legislature session should be held at least once a year there, ultimately it is for the government to decide," he said