B.R. Patil, MLA, demanded that the State government allocate adequate funds to take up water conservation and find a permanent solution to the drinking water crisis in Aland taluk.
Addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi on Friday, Mr. Patil came down on the State government for going back on its promise to release funds for water conservation. “I chose to support Congress candidate and the former Chief Minister Dharam Singh in the Lok Sabha elections, only after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured that he would get funds released for water conservation projects in the taluk,” he said.
Tanks
Mr. Patil accused Mr. Siddaramaiah of going back on promises he made during the Lok Sabha elections to resolve the water crisis once and for all with the diversion of water from the Bhima to Amarja dam. The demand also included the construction of 200 tanks in Aland taluk, whose groundwater level has fallen in the last summer leading to the drying up of many borewells.
He said that an indefinite hunger strike which was to be launched at Aland town from November 4 has been postponed after the Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash Patil assured that demands would be taken up with the Chief Minister. Mr. Patil urged State government to act on the demands before the Winter Session of the Legislature which will start from November 21.
However, the Hyderabad Karnataka Region Development Board recently allocated Rs.1 crore to adopt Shirpur pattern of water conservation techniques in Aland taluk.
