Cong MLA, Yeshwantraigouda Patil welcomes decision of forming welfare board for Veerashaiva/Lingayat
Bijapur: After the Chief Minister, BS Yediyurappa announced to constitute the Veerashaiva/Lingayat Development Board, several leaders of the community across the party lines have started welcoming the decision.
Joining the league, Congress MLA of Indi Taluk, Yeshwantraigouda Patil has hailed the decision by describing it as ‘historical’.
“It was the long-standing demand of the people of Veerashaiva/Lingayat community to have a separate development board for the welfare of the economically and socially weaker section of the community. Since the BJP government has met the demand, I welcome the decision”, he said.
Addressing presspersons on Wednesday, he claimed that he had raised the matter first during the assembly session where he had urged the government to constitute a Board for the welfare of the community.
Stating that other legislators of different political parties too had supported him, Patil said that the government has finally acknowledged the demand.
Admitting that several people of the community are well off and they do not need any financial assistance or benefits from the government, he however said that since Veerashaiva and Lingayats have several sub-sects that are finally weak and need support, Patil, the Board will help them to come into the mainstream of the society.
Supporting the demand for including the community in the 2A category, he said that as the government has now decided to constitute a development board, it should also take a decision in including the community in the 2A category.
Reacting to some of the Seers of the community objecting to the decision, Patil chose to downplay it by stating that he does not wish to comment on the views of the Seers.
Asked whether the decision would open Pandora’s Box with many other communities could start raising demand for welfare boards, Patil asserted that nothing wrong in any community making such demand.
“After all, the job of the government is to provide benefits to all castes and communities. Any community which needs welfare schemes for their development should be given the opportunity by the government”, he said.
On the objection raised by some Congress leaders including Former Minister, M. B. Patil that the government has not granted funds and merely announced the formation of the Board, Patil said that it is not mandatory for the government to announce the financial aspect on the same day of announcement of Board.
“We all know that the Centre and State government are facing acute financial crises because of Covid pandemic. Here we should first welcome the decision of the government for constituting the Board. Let the financial position improve, then surely we can seek funds for the board”, he said.
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Karnataka records 274 springs in first statewide census, majority located in Western Ghats
Hubballi: In its first-ever comprehensive census conducted during 2023-24, Karnataka has identified 274 natural springs across the State with 144 classified as perennial, 114 as seasonal and 16 reported to have dried up.
The enumeration was carried out by the Karnataka Minor Irrigation and Groundwater Development Department in association with the Groundwater Directorate as part of a Union government initiative, according to a Deccan Herald report. Officials were quoted as saying that the nine-month exercise involved field visits to nearly all identified springs. These springs were digitally mapped using a dedicated mobile application.
Belagavi district recorded the highest number of springs at 59, followed by Uttara Kannada with 31, while Chamarajanagar and Kodagu reported 23 each. Dharwad, Ramanagar, Bengaluru Rural, Davangere and Kolar districts have one spring each.
Bendru Teertha in Dakshina Kannada is the only hot spring documented in the State, which is attributed to a distinct hydrological formation. Springs in Talacauvery in Kodagu, Javali in Chikkamagaluru and Ambutheertha in Shivamogga, are the source points of major rivers such as the Cauvery, Hemavathi and Sharavathi.
According to the directorate, springs are natural discharge points where groundwater flows to the surface through openings in the earth’s crust, which occur when the water table intersects with the ground surface or when groundwater is forced out through fractures, faults or permeable rock layers.
The Western Ghats and Malnad regions, covering districts like Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Belagavi and Shivamogga, account for a significant share of the springs due to high rainfall and favourable geological conditions.
K B Rajendra, Director of the Groundwater Directorate, was quoted by Deccan Herald as saying that nearly 80 per cent of the springs are located in rural areas. He noted that apart from those associated with religious or historical sites, most springs remain open and lack protective measures.
Noting their vital contributions to drinking water supplies and agricultural irrigation, especially in areas with hills and mountains, Rajendra said that these springs help maintain the flow of rivers and streams when the weather is dry, thereby supporting ecological balance and promoting biodiversity.
He added that the census findings would serve as a database for conservation, rejuvenation efforts, groundwater management and long-term water resource planning in the State.
