Karnataka - Shimoga   

Central teams on tour of drought-hit areas

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa holding a review meeting at the zilla panchayat office in Shimoga on Monday. Shimoga MP B.Y. Raghavendra is seen.

SHIMOGA: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa thanked Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar here on Monday for sending Central teams to study the drought and flood situation in some parts of the State and said that the three teams began their tour today.

Addressing a press conference, he said that the Union Government agreed to send its teams to study the situation arising out of floods and drought in the State in response to his request made to Mr. Pawar in New Delhi on August 17. He said he had asked Mr. Pawar to visit the State after the study teams submitted their reports so that he could appreciate the seriousness of the situation.

He, however, said that the State Government had taken up relief measures in the drought-hit areas in 20 districts without waiting for Central assistance.

He said that in his recent video conference he had instructed the Deputy Commissioners and the Chief Executive Officers of the zilla panchayats to see that not a single person in the drought-affected areas who was in need of work was denied job. He said that the proposed move to increase the number of workdays under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) from 100 to 200 would go a long way in providing employment to the unemployed in the rural areas.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said that 85 taluks of 20 districts were facing drought and seven districts were affected by floods. He said that the Government had urged the Union Government to release Rs. 368 crore immediately to meet the situation arising out of drought and floods. He said that the Cabinet meeting to be held at Gulbarga on August 27 would take up a detailed review of the drought situation and decide on relief measures to be taken up.

The Chief Minister said that the work on the airport at Sogane near here would begin here soon as tenders for it had been finalised. He said that the work was expected to be completed within 18 months. Land had been acquired for laying a four-lane road to the airport from Shimoga city, he added.

He said that 50 acres of land had been identified at Sogane for shifting the district jail from Rajendranagar here. He said that bagair hukum cultivators who would lose land for the jail would be paid compensation. He said that a Government Order had been issued in this connection.

Reviewing development work at the zilla panchayat conference hall, Mr. Yeddyurappa said, “I am ashamed to see that sand is being transported from Shimoga to Bangalore which in turn transports building stones to Shimoga.” He expressed anguish over the scarcity of sand and building stones (jelly) for development work in the district.

He said that he, as in-charge of the Forest Department, had done nothing that went against the interests of forests.

“What else can I do? I have not issued a single licence for mining in Bellary district after I became Chief Minister. I hope the forest officers would appreciate it,” he said and asked them not to obstruct transportation of sand and building stones.

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