The 90-km-long padayatra taken out by JD(S) district unit from Kubatur village to Shivamogga city demanding irrigation facilities for drought-affected Shikaripur, Sorab and Shivamogga taluks concluded on Wednesday.
A convention was organised at the National Education Society (NES) ground in the city to mark the occasion. Addressing the convention, H.D. Kumaraswamy, president of JD(S) State unit said the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government at the Centre and Congress government in the State have failed to come to the rescue of the farmers in Karnataka, who have suffered heavy financial loss owing to consecutive droughts. The farmers will teach a fitting lesson to both the national parties in the forthcoming Assembly elections for neglecting the agriculture sector, he said.
Addressing the gathering, Sorab MLA Madhu Bangarappa said the agricultural land in semi-arid regions of Shikaripur, Sorab and Shivamogga taluks should be irrigated by drawing water from Kumudwathi and Varada rivers through lift irrigation projects, and by providing water for Anjanapura reservoir from Tunga lift irrigation project. M.J. Appaji, Bhadravati MLA; Sharada Poorya Naik, Shivamogga Rural MLA and party district unit president H.N. Niranjan were present.