Amid water shortage and Covid, Karnataka looks at 2024 with new hope
As the world steps into a new year, Karnataka remains resilient in the face of the dual challenges posed by the lingering Covid-19 pandemic and the aftereffects of the shortfall of rainfall
As the world steps into a new year, Karnataka remains resilient in the face of the dual challenges posed by the lingering Covid-19 pandemic and the aftereffects of the shortfall of rainfall. However, there is still a hope that 2024 will be the year when Bengaluru might find the solution to its decades-old traffic problem, with the large sections of the metro rail nearing completion.
But the main focus of 2024 will be the potential political changes in the state. On the political front, the state underwent a notable transformation as the Congress party secured a formidable majority, ushering in a phase of relative political stability compared to previous elections. However, the political landscape remains dynamic, and the approaching Lok Sabha elections pose intriguing questions about potential shifts in political dynamics.
The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state is hoping to recreate the magic. The government successfully delivered on its five electoral promises, earning political credit despite grappling with financial and technical hurdles. The party is hoping that the five schemes, which include a stipend and free bus travel for women, subsidised electricity bills, 10 kg of rice and a stipend for graduates, will keep them in the good books of voters.
The state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), meanwhile, is in an attempt to cash in on the new leadership under BY Vijayendra and their newly formed alliance with the Janata Dal (Secular). Even though the party suffers from internal tussles, particularly with its own MLA raising allegations of corruption against the former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, it is counting on its young Turks to retain the southern bastion in Lok Sabha.
In 2024, the Congress government faces a critical test in water management, with the state grappling with a drought exacerbated by insufficient rainfall during the monsoon. The situation is anticipated to worsen in the upcoming summer months, as the water levels in most state reservoirs have significantly dwindled. Bengaluru is poised to experience a severe shortage of drinking water, prompting experts to advise judicious use of the available water, people familiar with the matter said.
The government has reportedly decided to allocate the available water solely for drinking and industrial purposes, posing a hardship for farmers who will not have access to water for agriculture, they added.
In reservoirs with a total storage capacity of 895 TMC feet, only 394 TMC feet of water are currently available. Within the Cauvery river basin, which has a combined reservoir capacity of 114 TMC feet, the current storage is a mere 52 TMC feet, according to a report by The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC). Comparatively, during the same period last year, the reservoirs held 83 TMC feet of water. This scenario has led to the declaration of drought in 223 out of 236 taluks in the state.
Amidst these concerns, the state reported 201 fresh cases of Covid-19 and one new coronavirus-related death ahead of the new year. This takes the total number of active cases in the state to 833, a health department bulletin said. With this, the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in the state after the recent spike in cases has touched more than 10. The health department however remains confident that the cases will not affect the state in a big way.
On a positive note, the city with its notorious traffic jams had some reason to cheer with the yellow line which connects several parts of the city’s tech hub is expected to be operational next year.