The Hindu : Karnataka News : Ten years on, the same problems persist District profile: Gadag

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Karnataka

Karnataka

Ten years on, the same problems persist District profile: Gadag

Girish S. Pattanashetti

Benefits of rehabilitation and relief packages still elude the affected people

Number of seats reduced to four after delimitation
H.K. Patil in the fray for the first time

GADAG: It might have been carved a decade ago with the objective of facilitating development. But Gadag district still continues to face the same problems it faced when it was part of the erstwhile Dharwad district.

While the farmers of this once drought-prone and now flood-prone district continue to face hardship, the benefits of rehabilitation and relief proposals still elude the affected people. Lack of basic amenities and infrastructure is the basic problem across the district and there is no plan on the anvil for solving the drinking water problem.

Gadag was one of the worst flood-affected districts in the State and twice in a year (2007) it was severely affected by floods in the Benni Halla and other streams and Malaprabha river. Although the misery of the displaced people led to the visit of State Human Rights Commission to assess the situation, it only had an impact in the form of transfer of the Deputy Commissioner.

The rehabilitation of the displaced people and the proposed relocation of 12 villages in the district will be a key issue in the district and also the long-pending Singatalur and Sasalwada lift irrigation project, Kalasa Banduri Nala and Benni Halla projects.

Reduced

Delimitation has resulted in doing away with Mundargi constituency, which has brought down the number of constituencies in the district to four. Delimitation has also resulted in change in reservation of one constituency. Shirahatti constituency, which used to be general, has been reserved for Scheduled Castes this time.

The delimitation has resulted in senior Congress leader S.S. Patil losing his constituency (Mundargi), which he represented in the dissolved Assembly. His constituency has now been shared by Nargund and Ron constituencies.

The Congress has now given him ticket to contest from Nargund constituency instead of the former MLA B.R. Yavagal, who had lost in the previous election. The move has resulted in open expression of displeasure and indications are that Mr. Yavagal might contest as a rebel candidate, if the ticket issue is not reconsidered by Congress High Command.

Although the former MLA G.S. Gaddadevarmath has also lost his constituency owing to change in reservation, he has decided not to contest elections this time.

The district, which was once considered a forte of Congress, had elected two BJP candidates to the Assembly during the previous election.

Parties fight it out

While the Congress is trying to win back its seats, the BJP, strengthened by “Sriramulu effect” (he was the district-in-charge minister in BJP-JD(S) government) is trying to expand its base.

In an interesting development, the former Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council and Congress leader H.K. Patil is contesting the Assembly election for the first time.

His cousin and four-time MLA from Gadag D.R. Patil from Gadag has allowed Mr. H.K. Patil to contest from his constituency and his candidature naturally has aroused interest among the elctorate in teh constituency.

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