Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Saturday that the state government has taken legal action by filing a petition in the Supreme Court, urging the Centre to promptly release grants from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). This move comes in response to the severe drought-like conditions prevailing in the state.
Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah emphasized, "After waiting for an extended period, the Karnataka government has taken the necessary step of approaching the Supreme Court against the Central government. We urge the Centre to release the NDRF fund without further delay."
Highlighting the extensive agricultural damage caused by the drought, Siddaramaiah stated that 48 lakh hectares of crops have been adversely affected in Karnataka. He mentioned that the state had sent three memorandums to the Centre seeking drought relief assistance. Expressing concern over the Centre's delay in taking action, Siddaramaiah criticized the inaction and questioned the government's commitment to addressing the crisis.
Despite meetings with top central leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, Siddaramaiah lamented the lack of progress in securing aid for Karnataka. He asserted that no financial assistance has been received from the Centre to combat the drought situation, forcing the state government to allocate Rs 870 crore from its own funds. However, with Rs 800 crore still remaining, Siddaramaiah stressed the urgency of addressing the drought-related challenges.
The severity of the water crisis in Karnataka, particularly in Bengaluru, has reached alarming levels, with reservoir levels declining and the city facing a shortage of 500 million litres per day (MLD). Siddaramaiah underscored the urgent need for action to alleviate the water scarcity, which is impacting both residential and commercial sectors in the state capital.
With 220 out of 240 taluks in Karnataka declared as drought-affected, the state government is grappling with the daunting task of ensuring adequate water supply to its residents. The situation underscores the critical importance of timely assistance from the Centre to mitigate the effects of the ongoing drought crisis.
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