Karnataka Cabinet clears cloud seeding plan for drought-hit areas, Minister tells Assembly
Karnataka's Minister for Major Irrigation, N. Cheluvarayaswamy, informed the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that the State Cabinet has cleared a proposal to take up cloud seeding if necessary in drought-hit areas. The Minister's statement came in response to a call-attention notice tabled by Congress member N.H. Konareddy, who urged the government to initiate cloud seeding in districts facing acute shortages of drinking water and fodder due to deficient rainfall.
A call-attention notice is a procedural device used in Indian legislatures to draw the government's immediate attention to a matter of urgent public importance.
Mr. Konareddy cited a previous experiment by legislators from Haveri district, which he said had yielded positive results, with the district receiving some rainfall. Responding to the suggestion, Minister Cheluvarayaswamy confirmed that the proposal had already been discussed and approved by the State Cabinet.
Cloud seeding is a weather modification technique that involves dispersing substances such as silver iodide or dry ice into clouds to stimulate precipitation. It is sometimes considered as an emergency measure during periods of poor monsoon rainfall. The Karnataka government's decision to clear the proposal comes after several districts have reportedly been experiencing drought-like conditions, with officials grappling with shortages of drinking water and fodder for livestock.
The Assembly subsequently commenced a debate on the drought gripping the State. However, the proceedings were marred by a protest by Opposition BJP-JD(S) members, who demanded the resignation of Minister for Planning and Statistics B. Nagendra. The Opposition members insisted that Mr. Nagendra, who has been chargesheeted by investigation agencies, must be removed before they would take part in the debate.
Consequently, only ruling Congress members participated in the debate on Thursday, which remained inconclusive. Several ruling members, including Mr. Konareddy, appealed to the Opposition to end their protest and join the deliberations. Mr. Konareddy also appealed to the government to take a delegation to the Centre to convince it to release drought assistance for Karnataka immediately.
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, R. Ashok, said his party was eager to debate the drought, but the government must sack Mr. Nagendra to facilitate such a debate. He also asked the ruling members to secure the release of drought relief funds from the government and to constitute task forces led by MLAs to execute relief works. Expressing concern that relief measures had not been seriously implemented despite prolonged dry spells, Mr. Ashok stressed the need for prompt and effective action.
The standoff between the ruling party and the Opposition has raised questions about the smooth functioning of the Legislative Assembly during a period when the State needs a coordinated response to the drought. While the government has highlighted its readiness to explore cloud seeding as a scientific intervention, the Opposition's demand for ministerial accountability has kept the House from fully deliberating on the issue.
The Assembly is expected to take up the drought debate on subsequent days, pending a resolution of the political impasse. Meanwhile, farmers and residents in drought-affected areas continue to await concrete relief measures, including adequate drinking water supply and fodder availability. As the State awaits further legislative action, the twin priorities of drought mitigation and political accountability remain at the forefront of the Assembly's agenda.
