Govt Taken to Task for Failure to Tackle Drought on War-footing

From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Dec 5: The D V Sadananda Gowda ministry came under sharp attack in both Houses of Karnataka Legislature on Monday for its failure to undertake relief measure on a war-footing to tackle drought in 100 taluks of the State.

Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda, who is facing the Legislature after being sworn in without being elected as a member of either houses of the State Legislature, has totally failed in responding to the plight of the people, said Congress opposition leader Siddaramaiah in the Assembly while initiating the debate on the admissibility of an adjournment motion on the situation.

Siddaramaiah said the Government had announced 100 taluks as drought hit in four phases but not released funds for mitigating drought and the people have been suffering on account of water scarcity.

The Congress leader, who initiated a debate on drought seeking an adjournment motion, alleged that groundnut crop in several districts withered following deficit rainfall in September.

Most of the farmers grow groundnut as a single crop in the yea and they suffered a huge loss on account of inadequate rainfall, he said and claimed that the Government had released funds that were sanctioned under the Centrally sponsored Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

He alleged that no funds were available with the Deputy Commissioners for undertaking relief works in drought hit villages.

Load shedding, and lack of funds with local authorities increased farmers’ misery, he alleged and demanded the government to take action to implement relief measures.

Congress Deputy Leader in the Assembly T B Jayachandra said the ruling BJP had failed to get funds from the Centre for tackling drought.

The villagers have been migrating to cities seeking job on account of drought and water scarcity, he said.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S Suresh Kumar said the issue was important enough to warrant an immediate debate but it could be taken up under some other rule of the House instead of a debate in the form of an adjournment motion.

Even as the Congress leaders pressed for adjournment motion, Speaker K G Bopaiah said the issue would be discussed under rule 69 of the House.

In the Upper House, Congress Oppostion leader Motamma raised the issue and demanded that the party’s adjournment motion to discuss the issue in detail. She also castigated the BJP Government for its complete failure in responding to the problems of the people when more that half the State were reeling under the ill-effects of drought conditions.

Earlier in the morning, the Assembly condoled the death of former ministers, including K H Ranganath and M Y Ghorpade, former members of the House and other personalities.

Condolence to Ghorpade, Ranganth

Speaker K G Bopaiah moved an obituary reference and recalled the contributions of former Ministers K H Ranganath, V S Krishna Iyer, M Chandrashekar, Mundlur Ramappa, R N Lakshmipathi, M Y Ghorpade, former members Neelagangiah Poojara, G V Siddappa, Basavanthappa B Hirereddy, K Bheemanna, and S M Siddaiah, former MP.

The Speaker also noted achievements of Mathoor Krishnamurthy, Sanskrit scholar, Gandhian, G Narayana, former Bangalore Mayor, and Aruna Narayana, former Kasturi magazine editor, in their respective fields.

The Chief Minister, Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, T B Jayachnadra, D K Shivakumar, Srinivas Prasad, N L Narendrababu, H Mahadevappa, all Congress, H D Revanna (JD-S) and Minister Kannada and Culture Govind M Karjol recalled the contributions of the leaders in various fields.