BAGALKOT/VIJAYAPURA: Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa will visit flood-affected areas in North Karnataka on August 25. Heavy showers in the Western Ghats, basins of Krishna and its tributaries (Ghataprabha, Malaprabha, Marakandeya, Dhudganga and Vedhaganga) have led to floods in parts of Belagavi, Bagalkot, Gadag, Dharwad and Vijayapura for the second consecutive year, affecting over 20,000 hectares of farmlands and damaging infrastructure in many villages and highways in the region.
Amidst the surging COVID-19 cases, the CM has decided to conduct a one-day aerial survey, accompanied by a couple of cabinet ministers.
According to the tour programme released by Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the CM will leave Bengaluru at 9 am and will reach Sambra Airport of Belagavi at 10.15 am.
He will hold a review meeting with officials and elected members of Belagavi and Dharwad before leaving for an aerial survey of the region. Around 12.30 pm, he will arrive at Almatti and preside over a review meeting with respective district ministers of Bagalkot, Vijayapura and Gadag elected members. Later, he will conduct an aerial survey before leaving for Bengaluru via Belagavi.
Officials of Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Limited (KBJNL) are making arrangements for the Bagina programme at Almatti Dam on August 25 though there is no mention of it in the itinerary released by the CMO. Last week, Yediyurappa had offered Bagina at KRS.
RP Kulkarni, Chief Engineer of KBJNL, told TNIE, “In the tour programme, it has been clearly mentioned that the CM will visit Almatti Dam, but not about Bagina. The CMO will communicate with Vijayapura District Administration and not KBJNL. We are not taking chances and making all the arrangements for the Bagina programme.”
However, Deputy Commissioner P Sunil Kumar said, “The CM will visit Almatti Dam and then hold a meeting with the elected representatives and officials of the three districts before heading for an aerial survey. There will be no Bagina programme.”