Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Apr 19: MLA U T Khader, lashing out at the failure of the state government in handling the drought situation, said that tackling of drinking water scarcity problem in DK district is also on the same path.

He was addressing the reporters at a press conference held at district Congress office here on Wednesday April 18.
 
“Though all the drought-hit regions have been given a grant of Rs 30 lac, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts have been kept away from availing the grant,” he said and added that only Rs 8 lac has been released in the first phase. “All ruling party leaders’ concentration is on other drought-hit districts while negligence is meted out to DK district,” rued Khader.
 
He pointed out that as the payment to bore well companies was held back, no bore well companies are coming forward to dig bore wells. Khader warned that the party will hold a protest against all these discrepancies. He said that work on a ‘war footing’ is not being done by the government.
 
He also said that though the chief minister (CM) came to the district, no review meeting was convened to study the water crisis. KDB meeting has not taken place since four months. Though the district does not have a district in-charge minister, he urged that district in-charge secretary B S Ramprasad should convene a meeting. He also alleged that the MLA of the opposition party is not taken into consideration in any discussion held by the DC on the water crisis issue.
 
Khader also revealed that ration cards of most of the poor families in the district have been cut-off. He said that during ZP, TP, and Lok Sabha elections, the government itself provided additional ration cards to the needy but these are now being cancelled on the reason of duplication.

Khader said that in Pudu gram panchayat alone, 705 such ration cards were cancelled. The reason is being cited as unavailability of proper door number and electricity bill which is an excuse for the drastic move he said and urged severe action against the officials who go ahead with cancellation of ration cards. Khader also sought time for them to provide the required documents.