The former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa demanded that the State government waive off farm loans taken by farmers in co-operative societies and the interest on the farm loans taken by farmers in nationalised banks. The State government should call for a special session to discuss drought issues before the Raitha Chaitanya Yatre concludes in Mysuru on September 13, he said.
Speaking to reporters at Hebbur on Thursday, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that if the government fails to meet their demands in connection with farmer loans and drought issues within September 13, the Bharatiya Janata Party would lay siege to the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.
He alleged that the Chief Minister and the State government are sleeping, instead of taking measures to address the severe drought situation in the State. “Neither Chief Minister Siddaramaiah nor the Ministers for agriculture, horticulture, revenue and rural development are touring drought-hit places in the State,” he said.
Mr. Yeddyurappa said that the government has not made any preparations to face the severe drought situation in the State.
There will be acute shortage of power in the State in the coming months as the reservoirs are empty due to lack of rainfall. But the government has not made any effort to purchase power from other States, he said.
He said that the State government is yet to submit a report on the drought to the Prime Minister.
Compensation demanded
The former Minister and MP Shobha Karandlaje demanded that the government pays compensation to the families of all the 430 farmers who had committed suicide in the last three months. She said only 86 families have got the compensation as yet.
