The Opposition Congress, Janata Dal (Secular) and Independent members staged a dharna in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday protesting against the government’s failure to provide regular power supply to villages and cities.
In a reply to M. Satyanarayana of the Congress during question hour, Agriculture Minister Umesh Katti, who answered on behalf of Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, said the State was facing severe power shortage and was purchasing power from private companies as a ‘temporary measure’ to tide over the situation.
The government had signed agreements with several private companies to supply power till June 15. Following fall in power generation, the government was supplying three-phase power for six hours in batches to irrigation pumpsets.
Several members contended that power was not being supplied even for two hours in many districts. The government was misleading the House by claiming that it was supplying power for six hours to IP sets. Dissatisfied with the Minister’s reply, Congress, JD(S) and Independent members came to the well of the House and staged a dharna. They called off their dharna after Speaker K.G. Bopaiah promised to allocate half-an-hour to debate the issue.
