Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Nov 14: Assembly speaker, Kagodu Thimmappa, sarcastically said that search should be conducted inside forests to find the state minister for forests, B Ramanath Rai. He quipped in this fashion during a press conference held in the city on Friday November 13.

At the press conference, the speaker said that under the Forest Rights Act, title deeds have to be issued to people living inside forest land. Before December, both revenue and forest department should have conducted joint survey and solved the problem, he stated. "I recently visited Sirsi, and found that there has been no progress at all in this sector," he said.

When his attention was drawn to the statement of forest minister that 90 percent of survey work had been already completed, he wanted to know who made this statement. "Was it the forest minister? Where is he? We may have to search for him in the forests. The government should give clear guideline to the concerned to complete survey work by December and direct them not to evict anyone unless this work is done. If this is done, problems will be solved for the present," he opined.

When his response was sought on the 30-month performance of the state government, he said being a speaker it was not advisable for him to give his opinion. He said that people and MLAs have to judge the achievements of the government

"I never came here to become a minister. I chose to raise voice by stationing myself in the first floor. Now I am fighting for title deeds for forest dwellers," he added.

He said that the chief minister had positively responded to his request to solve the problem of people living in forests, adding that he believes that the issue will be addressed by December. Thimmappa also said that he is looking to holding special discussions on drought in 156 taluks of the state and addressing of problems faced by these people.