Deputy CM DK Shivakumar dismisses allegations of any scam in Congress govt in K'taka
Channapatna (Karnataka), Jul 3: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday dismissed allegations of any scam in Mysuru Urban Development Authority site allotment.
He said there have been no scams during the present Congress rule in the state.
Shivakumar's statement came as the opposition BJP alleged that there was about Rs 4,000 crore worth alternative site (plot) scam in Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's home town and staged a demonstration on Wednesday.
The BJP alleged that one of the beneficiaries of alternative sites scam was Siddaramaiah's wife, which the latter has categorically rejected.
ALSO READ: Decision will be taken after probe, Karnataka CM on irregularities in MUDA land allotment
Speaking to reporters after a 'Government at your doorstep' programme in poll-bound Channapatna, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "All the scams that the state witnessed have taken place during the BJP tenure. We will respond to all the allegations during the legislature session."
Asked about the experimental explosion at Baby Hills in Mandya district, he clarified, "The quarries near KRS dam take all necessary steps to carry out controlled explosions. The explosions can be carried out only at a specified distance from the dam."
Asked if JD(S) leader and union minister H D Kumaraswamy's 'Jana Samparka' programme in Mandya was a copy of his 'Government at your doorstep’ programmes, he said "Let him do it. It is good for the people if leaders do programmes like this, even if it is a copy of someone else."
Replying to a query on the announcement of candidates for the Assembly bypoll in Channapatna, he said, "Let the election dates be announced. Then the candidates will come and file nominations."
Channapatna bypoll is necessitated after former Chief Minister Kumaraswamy resigned as the JD(S) MLA after he got elected to the Lok Sabha as an NDA candidate and became Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka sees drop in groundwater use, surge in recharge capacity: 2025 report
_vb_86.jpeg)
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka has recorded a significant decline in groundwater usage alongside a notable increase in annual recharge capacity, reflecting the impact of sustained water conservation efforts and good rainfall, Minister N S Boseraju said on Wednesday.
Releasing the 2025 Groundwater Assessment Report at Vikas Soudha, he said the gains are the result of good rainfall, focused policy interventions, and large-scale water conservation initiatives implemented over the past two years under the leadership of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.
According to the report, overall groundwater extraction has reduced from 68.44 per cent in 2024 to 66.49 per cent in 2025, indicating more responsible and sustainable usage patterns across the state.
At the same time, annual groundwater recharge capacity has increased from 18.74 billion cubic metres (BCM) in 2024 to 19.28 BCM in 2025, while annual extractable groundwater resources rose from 16.88 BCM to 17.41 BCM, the minister’s office said in a statement.
“This simultaneous reduction in usage and increase in recharge reflects our government’s commitment to long-term water sustainability,” the Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology Minister said.
The improvement has been driven largely by the expansion of water conservation structures (WCS) across the state.
Recharge through such structures increased by 29.11 per cent, from 0.81 BCM to 1.04 BCM within a year, the report stated.
Notably, the number of water conservation works has risen sharply from 3.15 lakh in 2024 to 3.94 lakh in 2025, strengthening the state’s groundwater recharge ecosystem.
The report indicates improvement in groundwater status across 11 taluks, with several regions moving to safer categories.
Highlighting these changes, the minister pointed out that Chamarajanagar taluk has improved from "over-exploited" to "critical".
Similarly, taluks including Athani, Channapatna, Molakalmuru, Ranebennur, Savanur, and Shiggaon have successfully transitioned from "semi-critical" to "safe" status.
Domestic groundwater extraction has also declined by 0.58 per cent, dropping from 1,21,731 hectare-metres (ham) in 2024 to 1,21,023 ham in 2025. Officials attribute this to increased reliance on surface water under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
Boseraju said that initiatives such as lake rejuvenation, year-round water supply through treated and surface water, sustained public awareness campaigns, and good rainfall have played a key role in reducing over-extraction and enhancing recharge.
“Instead of depending solely on the 120-day monsoon, we are ensuring water availability throughout all 365 days through scientific management. This has strengthened long-term water security for both farmers and urban residents,” he said.
Announcing a major technological step forward in future governance, the minister added, “To further safeguard our resources, we are rolling out the Digital Water Stack (DWS) initiative. Under this framework, we will soon initiate space technology and AI-based satellite surveillance to obtain real-time data for continuous groundwater monitoring.”
_vb_85.jpeg)
_vb_92.jpeg)
_vb_51.jpeg)