From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Feb 20: As many as 110 villages in the outskirts of Bengaluru will be given Cauvery drinking water supply by May, assured Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in the Assembly on Tuesday.

Replying to a question from S T Somashekar, Yeshwanthpur MLA, he said seepage plant and other facilities will be completed in another two years while drinking water supply will start by May.

Shivakumar, who is also Bengaluru Development Minister, said Yeshwanthpur assembly constituency was one of the biggest segment and comprises of both urban and rural areas and promised to solve all problems.

10 cr grant to Bengaluru legislators, 11000 borewells

Answering questions from BJP MLAs Muniraju and Byarathi Basavaraju, the Deputy Chief Minister said all MLAs in the Bengaluru city limits will be provided with a grant of Rs 10 crore each and said the money could be utilized for tackling the drinking water problems.

He said 11,000 borewells will be sunk by the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) in the city areas as drinking water supply will be given priority over all other works.

Shivakumar said the government will take all steps to ensure that water table does not get exploited due to excessive sinking of borewells.

The Bengaluru city areas is supplied 1,450 MLC drinking water, he said the city was experiencing problems due to drought conditions and the fall in the water table levels.

Lawyers’ strike in Ramanagara politically motivated

Speaking to media persons in Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar said the lawyers’ strike in Ramanagara was politically motivated and offered to meet the delegation of the lawyers if they keep off politics.

“The lawyers strike in Ramanagara is politically motivated. The BJP is trying to capitalise it for political gains. We are ready to resolve their issues within the legal framework if they come to the discussion table leaving aside politics,’’ he said pointing out that BJP is misleading lawyers. I am told that H D Kumaraswamy has asked for time to discuss this issue in the House. The Home Minister will respond to it. If they want to do politics, we have no objection.

Earlier, Odisha MP Saptagiri Ullas, who had served as member of the State Congress Election Committee during the assembly polls, called on the Deputy Chief Minister at his office in Vidhana Soudha.