CM Shettar cancels Karnataka legislator's study tour

Under public pressure and given the serious drought conditions in Karnataka, the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has called off the planned tour of a second batch of legislators and officials to Europe beginning 27 September.

Suresh Gowda, chairman of BJP's subordinate legislation committee of the legislature undertaking the tour, told The Hindu that he had decided against the 15-day study trip in view of the prevailing drought situation.

A total of 12 legislators, accompanied by three legislative assembly secretariat officials, were to set out on a tour of Germany, Italy and the UK, and other countries.

According to Gowda, the committee had planned the trip as the state was receiving rains and the reservoirs were filling up.

He said, it has since been realised that the rains were deficient and drought conditions prevailed, in view of which it was advisable to cancel the trip and facilitate the legislators to return to their constituencies to address the woes of the people.

Speaker KG Bopaiah said he had advised the legislators to put off the tour by two months.