Bengaluru, 24 September

With the State reeling under severe drought, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Thursday that an all-party delegation will visit Delhi, to meet Central ministers on the issue of a relief package.

The delegation will seek assistance from the Centre, as the number of drought-hit taluks has crossed 200, he said.

He stressed that the state would seek maximum interim relief from the Centre.

Shivakumar said the state was facing a serious situation, with farmers losing crops, water and power. He said power demand had reached 20,000 MW and claimed some states were purchasing electricity at Rs 20-23 per unit.

He said he had directed the Power Department to ensure that consumers were protected from the high electricity costs.

The government is examining restrictions on sugar factories selling power instead of supplying it to the state, he added.

The Chief Minister said coal stocks for thermal power generation had fallen to about one day and urged caution.

Shivakumar had urged Prime Minister Modi to release 50 per cent of the state's drought relief memorandum amount as interim financial assistance.

On the Cauvery water-sharing dispute, he asserted that the state would release water only if it is available, noting that reservoir inflows have halted.