Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar assures review of all genuine drought-hit areas,

"We have already announced 101 taluks as drought-affected. The routing is also going on everywhere. Our Revenue Minister has already announced 102 taluks. Many more taluks have undergone routing. I take reports every week, every 15 days, and do it," he said.

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday said the state government would examine all areas facing genuine drought conditions and assured that there was no need for people to be anxious over the ongoing assessment. Speaking about the drought situation ahead of his visit to drought-hit areas, Shivakumar said, "We have already announced 101 taluks as drought-affected. The routing is also going on everywhere. Our Revenue Minister has already announced 102 taluks. Many more taluks have undergone routing. I take reports every week, every 15 days, and do it."

"Tomorrow morning, if the Central Government officers come, we have to reasonably justify this matter. For that, whatever technical mistakes are there, we are directly examining them," he told the media. Shivakumar said several areas in Dharwad and Gadag had provided sufficient information regarding the drought situation and that he would visit the affected regions.

"In Dharwad and Gadag, in many places, regarding the drought issue, they were informing us by giving us sufficient information about it. That is why I myself am also heading there. I am going to Bagalkot tomorrow," he said. "There is no need for anyone to be anxious. Whichever taluk, whichever district, wherever there is genuinely a drought situation, we will examine all of that. Even my Taluk Kanakapura also has not done. Can I break my head over it? There is a rule for that. There is a Central Government rule," Shivakumar further said.

"According to that, the Revenue Department officials and officials from the different departments will directly examine everything, and accordingly, they will announce the drought-affected areas. We have to have a little patience," he added. His remarks came days after Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G Parameshwara said the state was facing an unprecedented drought, with the government earmarking Rs 635 crore to manage the crisis.

Parameshwara had said Karnataka received only 465 mm of rainfall between June 1 and August 26 against the normal 666 mm, recording a 30 per cent deficit. He said 29 districts and 190 taluks fell under the deficit to large deficit rainfall categories. According to Parameshwara, 134 taluks had experienced dry spells of more than three consecutive weeks and qualified for assessment under Trigger-1. Following ground-truthing, 101 taluks had qualified to be declared drought-affected, while 32 other taluks were under review.

The state government has said the drought assessment would be reviewed every 15 days. On the controversy surrounding Bengaluru's Lalbagh, Shivakumar said he would examine the matter in detail and assured that the park and its land would be protected.

"I will talk about the Lalbagh issue in detail. No one should worry about it. I know how to protect the park, how to protect the land. I will give details of all the information about what has been done by the BJP government on this issue. I know that we will create more parks like Lalbagh in this Bangalore city," he said. "I am more interested in the BJP regime. They have not created even one park or this one. I am just revisiting the entire issue," Shivakumar added.

He said the matter had not been discussed in the Assembly and that he would examine the relevant file before allowing a debate. "They did not discuss it in the Assembly. They did not discuss this in the Assembly. I will get the file and revisit it and allow the debate on it. I am very open. I am there for the suggestions of the Opposition party also. I am open to the suggestions of the public also," he said.

"I don't have anything in my head. I don't want to create any confusion. In the larger interest of the public, any decision has to be taken in that interest. That is my issue," Shivakumar said. Reacting to the BJP's 10-day padayatra from Lingasugur in Raichur district to Ballari, which began on Tuesday, Shivakumar said the Congress was prepared to respond.

"Oh, good, good. It is good. What they are giving is a good opportunity to us," he said. "It is good that they are doing a padayatra. The more they do, the better it is. We are not lacking in any way when it comes to devising a counter-strategy. When those who brought independence to this country fought for independence, none of these people were there in that struggle. We were the ones who did it," he added.

Shivakumar said he would provide an opportunity to discuss the issue in the Assembly and questioned the BJP over land allegedly taken for various purposes during its tenure. "I will create an opportunity to discuss it. Let them give whatever they have. If they have left anything out, what can we do? Now, they took land for the Metro in Lalbagh, didn't they? Why didn't they object? They took land in different places, didn't they? Why didn't they do it?" Shivakumar asked.

He also alleged that park or civic amenity (CA) land had been allotted to organisations in Sadashivanagar. "Now, you go to Sadashivanagar. They have given it to the RSS or to some organisation. They have given park land or CA land here. You see for yourself. I will tell you what they have given and when. All of that is a big list," he said.

"I just want to discuss it in the Assembly. For that, they simply created a commotion. Now they are doing this yatra, aren't they?" Shivakumar added. The BJP's padayatra, led by state president BY Vijayendra, is scheduled from September 1 to September 10. The BJP has said it will raise several issues during the march, including the resignation of former Congress minister B Nagendra, the drought situation and around 2.5 lakh vacant government posts. Karnataka Leader of Opposition R Ashoka has criticised the state government's drought assessment, saying more taluks should be declared drought-affected. He said that while 101 taluks had been identified, the number of drought-hit taluks was around 170.

"Today Deputy Chief Minister G Parmeshwara has declared 101 talukas as drought-hit talukas. They realised it very late. I want to say that not only 101 but there are 170 Talukas which are drought-hit talukas. They should also declare them drought-affected," Ashoka said. (ANI)