Even as the state government declared drought in many parts of the state last August, Karnataka minister of rural development and panchayat raj HK Patil on Tuesday refused to accept the prevalence of drought in the state.  

Patil who also heads the state cabinet sub-committee of drought relief on Tuesday said, “There is no drought. Where is this doubt? This is just summer and there is a water shortage due to the extreme heat,” while chairing a meeting in Kalaburgi district.

The News Minute had earlier reported Kalaburgi to be one of the hotter regions of the state.

Incidentally, Patil’s statement comes at at time when CM Siddaramaiah is on a second visit of drought hit areas in the state.

But Patil’s statement also appears in stark contrast to his own government’s stand on drought.

The state government had identified Kalaburgi to be one of the worst affected areas when it declared drought in 98 taluks in 26 out of 30 districts in August 2015.   

Later, when MLC Amarnath Patil questioned the minister, HK Patil said that he made the statement only to stop the misuse of the word ‘bara’ (drought).