Ballari/Koppal: Leader of opposition R Ashoka on Thursday accused the state govt of failing to respond to the worsening drought situation and claimed the state treasury was “empty”, leaving the govt unable to provide drought relief or disburse pension payments.Ashoka made the remarks after visiting drought-hit farmlands in Sidiginamola and Karekallu villages along with Gangavathi MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy, former MLA G Somashekar Reddy, BJP district president Anil Kumar Moka, and other party leaders. The team assessed crop losses and interacted with affected farmers.He said pigeon pea and jowar crops had withered despite being sown nearly 50 days ago due to inadequate rainfall. Alleging official apathy, he claimed neither the tahsildar nor the DC had visited the affected areas and that the district minister had failed to take note of the situation.Demanding an immediate drought declaration, Ashoka said farmers would become eligible for compensation only after the government officially notified drought conditions.Criticising the govt’s response, Ashoka said the revenue minister’s reported statement that a request would be submitted to the Centre after Aug was unacceptable. By then, he said, agricultural lands would remain barren and people from Kalyana Karnataka would be forced to migrate to neighbouring states in search of work.BJP rally demanding Tungabhadra water releaseThe BJP will organise a rally and padayatra on Friday from Anjanadri Hill to the Tungabhadra Dam headquarters in Munirabad, demanding the release of water up to the 11-A sub-canal of the Tungabhadra Left Bank Canal system.In a press release, BJP state executive committee member Basavaraj Kyavator said participants would travel by motorcycles and tractors from Anjanadri to Hitnal Cross, followed by a padayatra to the CADA office in Munirabad.He said a dharna would be staged in front of the CADA office if the Tungabhadra administration failed to release water to the canal system. Kyavator claimed farmers had the first right over the water under the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal award and the provisions linked to the Koragal dam canal network.
