Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Apr 27: Karnataka's rural development and panchayat raj (RDPR) minister Krishna Byre Gowda took to Twitter to express his anguish that while the state is experiencing acute drinking water shortage, Election Commission is not allowing him to discharge his duties.
As per reports, around 1,112 villages are being supplied water via tankers as water sources have dried up and ground water level has depleted.
Byre Gowda questioned the logic why laws which are meant to aid better governance are not allowed to be implemented even though polls are over in Karnataka.
"Several taluks are reeling under severe drought. The EC, though, will not allow me to discharge my duty as the RDPR minister and conduct meetings with the Zilla Parishad CEOs to review critical drinking water and employment programmes. Why?" he tweeted.
He further added, "Elections are over in Karnataka. Aren’t laws and rules meant to aid better governance and not stymie legitimate efforts to safeguard citizens?"
This could be a dig to Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa, who had objected to the relaxation of the Model Code of Conduct by Election Commission in Karnataka.
The Election Commission had allowed the government to inviting, finalizing tender and issue work orders for infrastructure, development works, procurement of goods and services after April 23, the last day of Lok Sabha polls in state.
However, Yeddyurappa in a letter pointed out that the decisions of the state government on various projects could influence states where election is in progress. He requested works only related to drought mitigation to be allowed.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has secured permission from the Election Commission of India to resume infrastructure projects and special initiatives.
Karnataka chief secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar confirmed that ECI has given green signal to resume infrastructure projects and floating of tenders post April 23. However, government cannot start any project that is not already underway, to prevent undue influence of voters.
Kumaraswamy has instructed officials to continue with drought mitigation measures but MCC bars 30 deputy commissioners from involving in special initiatives until May 23.