Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Nov 20: Speaking after inaugurating the Agricultural Fair organized on Thursday November 19 by the University of Agricultural Sciences here on Thursday November 19, state governor, H R Bharadhwaj, said that many flood-affected families had been approaching him with the complaint that they were not paid any compensation. He blamed the government of not keeping him informed of the measures undertaken by them. The state government has failed in rehabilitating the people in distress, he commented.
“The relief works do not suffer from lack of funds. As soon as floods were reported, Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, visited the state and announced an assistance of Rs 1,000 crore to the state. I signed an ordinance to release Rs 500 crore for flood relief works. But, the government has failed to throb to the problems of the victims,” he criticized. Bharadhwaj added that he does not know what the government has been doing since the last two months. “Stop criticizing the central government. Explain what you have been doing. You do your work properly and then approach the centre, if additional assistance is required. I am ready to personally go to New Delhi to urge the union government for funds,” he added.
Bharadhwaj said, he was not politicizing the issue, but was sharing what the people had told him. He opined that the state, instead of looking at the centre for everything, should discharge the responsibilities cast on it. He advised ministers and legislators to go to their constituencies and try to help the suffering people. He also asked the opposition parties to work with the ruling party to provide solace to the people in distress.
Minister for agriculture, S A Ravindranath, speaking to reporters after the programme, admitted that relief works undertaken so far were not satisfactory. “We have already started laying foundation stones for building clusters of houses. The Chief Minister and ministers have been touring the affected places,” he said.
When the CM’s attention was drawn to the comments of the governor, he said, the governor had not said anything on the issue to him, when he had met the latter three days ago. “If there are any minor lapses in the relief works, we will set them right. If the governor is ready to press the centre for more help, I will take him along with a delegation from the state to Delhi,” he stated.