Opposition leader R Ashoka slams state govt over monsoon preparedness

HASSAN: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly, R Ashoka, on Tuesday visited the rain-affected areas of Sakleshpur in Hassan district and criticised the Congress-led state government for its lack of preparedness and negligence in dealing with the monsoon.

Speaking to reporters, Ashoka said that the government had failed to take timely precautionary measures and urged it to expedite compensation for those affected by landslides and heavy rains.

“Monsoon has arrived 15 days early, for the first time in 50 years. The Chief Minister should have held a meeting before the monsoon started. Every time there is damage, there is a delay of one to two months in providing compensation. Landslides are happening in Sakleshpur, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu. The government should take precautionary measures and provide compensation, but the government has not done anything till now… Not a single minister has inspected the site…” he alleged.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the southwest monsoon has advanced into several parts of India, including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and regions of the Northeast.

This year, the Southwest Monsoon set in over Kerala on May 24, eight days earlier than its normal onset date of June 1, marking its earliest arrival on the Indian mainland since 2009.

Earlier, the Met Centre predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to continue over west coast (Kerala, Karnataka, coastal Maharashtra & Goa) during next 6-7 days with possibility of extremely heavy rainfall over Kerala during 27-30 May and Konkan, ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra, Coastal and Ghat areas of Karnataka, Ghat areas of Tamil Nadu on 27 May.

The IMD added, “Conditions are favourable for further advance of Southwest Monsoon into remaining parts of central Arabian Sea, some more parts of Maharashtra, remaining parts of Karnataka, some more parts of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, some parts of Chhattisgarh & Odisha, most parts of westcentral & some more parts of North Bay of Bengal and remaining parts Northeastern states and some parts of West Bengal and Sikkim during next 2-3 days.” (ANI)