Grand Mysuru Dasara celebrations appreciated by other state CMs; sugarcane growers’ meeting in Belagavi on October 26: Karnataka CM Shivakumar
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, on Thursday said the world-famous Mysuru Dasara celebrations had been a grand success, earning appreciation from the Chief Ministers of Kerala and Telangana, who attended the festivities. He also announced that a meeting with sugarcane growers and sugar factory owners would be held in Belagavi on October 26, though Union Minister Pralhad Joshi would not be able to attend due to unavoidable reasons.
Speaking to the media near his Bengaluru residence before leaving for Delhi, CM Shivakumar said Union Minister Joshi had suggested that the state government hold the meeting first, following which the Centre would convene a meeting. It can be noted that Joshi represents Dharwad Lok Sabha constituency in North Karnataka.
“The issue of sugarcane growers is not confined to Karnataka but concerns the entire country. A separate meeting will be held with officials at the Central level to discuss the matter and find a solution,” he said.
CM Shivakumar said he would also hold discussions with the Union Ministers concerned on forest land disputes. A decision on the Mahadayi issue could be difficult due to the upcoming elections in Goa, he added.
On the Tungabhadra water issue, he said the state government had requested a meeting with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister to discuss the matter. The meeting would be held either in Andhra Pradesh or in Delhi.
“The Tungabhadra reservoir is facing a severe shortage of water, and farmers’ demand for water is very high. With no rainfall, we need to formulate our next course of action,” he said.
He added that he would meet the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to submit the state’s demands concerning drought relief. Separate teams had been constituted and officials assigned to discuss these issues, he said.
Asked about his other engagements with Union Ministers, Shivakumar said he had sought an appointment with Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to discuss issues concerning Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). However, Scindia had been busy with Dasara-related engagements, and the meeting would take place once an appointment was available.
“I will return to the state today as the Prime Minister of Poland is scheduled to visit on Friday. I will travel to Delhi on another suitable day to discuss the state’s issues,” he said.
Shivakumar said the Jamboo Savari procession held on Wednesday as part of the Mysuru Dasara celebrations had been a grand success.
“The torchlight parade and tableaux showcasing the grandeur of India received widespread appreciation. The Chief Ministers of Kerala and Telangana also attended the Dasara celebrations and expressed their appreciation. They have said they would send cultural troupes from their respective states in the future as well,” he said.
He thanked Energy Minister K.J. George for overseeing the illumination arrangements and other ministers and officials, including Minister for Higher Education Basavaraj Rayareddy, for their contributions to the successful conduct of the festival.
Rayareddy had also extended hospitality to foreign diplomats, he said.
Some ministers had been given exemptions from Dasara-related responsibilities due to the Legislative Council elections, while Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara had participated in the Tumakuru Dasara celebrations, Shivakumar said.
He also thanked the team led by actress and politician Jayamala and producer and actor Rockline Venkatesh from the Kannada film industry, prominent sportspersons, the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force and central institutions, including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT), for adding to the grandeur of the celebrations through their tableaux.
“The drone show has created a new record,” he said.
On reports that some ministers had been prevented from performing rituals during the Dasara celebrations, Shivakumar said it was an inadvertent lapse on the part of officials.
“This happened when the ministers were going to offer prayers to the Nandi flag. I personally intervened and facilitated their entry. The Chief Secretary is examining the incident and conducting an enquiry,” he said.
He praised the police personnel and officials for their hard work in ensuring the smooth conduct of the festivities and thanked them for their efforts.
Asked about the mishap reported during the Shivamogga Dasara celebrations, Shivakumar said precautions had been taken in Mysuru because he had anticipated the possibility of such incidents.
It can be noted that the Dasara Jamboo Savari procession in Shivamogga was cut short on Wednesday after Somanna, a 36-year-old elephant carrying the howdah, strayed from its route and became uncontrollable. During the incident, the silver howdah carrying the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari fell to the ground and was damaged. Two cars and three motorcycles were also damaged as the elephant moved through the area. Two other elephants, Sagar and Bahaddur, were also part of the procession.
“We held a meeting under the leadership of Forest Minister Ramalinga Reddy and took precautions for Mysuru Dasara. An alternative elephant was considered for carrying the golden howdah, but Prashantha was eventually selected,” he said.
He said the organisers in Shivamogga had been slightly careless and that greater precautions would be taken in the future.
“This is a warning for us. Fortunately, nobody was harmed,” he added.
