Southern States - Karnataka   

Govt. urged to take back `poor quality' foodgrain

By Our Staff Correspondent

HASSAN AUG. 9. The former Minister, H.D.Revanna, has urged the Government to recall the stock of poor quality foodgrain released for drought relief works in Hassan District. He has urged the district administration to ensure that the relief works are carried out in a non-partisan manner.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Mr. Revanna said that the drought in the district was severe.

Noting that the Government was yet to initiate relief works, he said that the authorities had bungled in selection of crops under the National Agriculture Insurance Scheme (NAIS). He demanded that the Government take cognisance of this and compensate farmers.

He said that the District in-charge Minister, H.C.Srikantaiah, should have taken the initiative in implementing relief works in Hassan. Noting that the Minister had failed on this count, he said that it was still not late for the Government to rectify its mistake and come to the aid of the distressed farmers. He said that chances of revival of crops in the district were bleak.

Mr. Revanna reiterated the demand that the Government should waive power charges of farmers with holdings of up to four acres this season. He said that the Government should waive power energisation fee of farmers using irrigation pumpsets of less than five HP, especially in view of the fact that they had little or no source of income this season.

Noting that as Minister in the Janata Dal Government he had sanctioned various lift irrigation projects in the district, Mr. Revanna urged Mr. Srikantaiah to reveal their status supported by documentary evidence. He alleged that the Krishna Government had either scuttled the progress of these projects or stalled them in a bid to gain political mileage.

On the charge that the Janata Dal Government had not done enough to rehabilitate the villagers affected by the backwaters of Hemavathi Irrigation Project in Alur taluk, Mr. Revanna said that he had issued the required order. He asked what prevented the Congress Government from implementing it and announcing alternative rehabilitation package if it deemed his order as mala fide.

He said that the Congress Government was trying to violate the seniority list of beneficiaries of the rehabilitation scheme prepared by the previous Government and paying compensation to people close to it. He said that this was happening with the tacit approval of the Special Land Acquisition Officer of the Project.

About the alleged financial irregularities at the Hassan Milk Union Limited, of which he is the Chairman, Mr. Revanna said that the administration had taken action against both officials and workers found guilty.

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