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Karnataka

Relief work: Ranganath told to meet Governor

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister to meet H.R. Bhardwaj to apprise him of steps taken in flood-hit areas

Land identified for shifting 205 flood-prone villages
Delay in fund release has not affected relief work

Helping the flood-affected: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa laying the foundation stone for the shifting of 200 families in Thinthani village to a safe place on Friday.

THINTHANI (GULBARGA DISTRICT): Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Friday said that Chief Secretary S.V. Ranganath has been asked to meet Governor H.R. Bhardwaj and Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde and apprise them of the relief work taken up in the flood-hit areas and clear all the misgivings.

Reacting to the Governor’s comments on the “shoddy” relief works in the flood-hit areas, Mr. Yeddyurappa told presspersons here that the lack of complete information about the relief measures taken up by the State Government might have been one of the reasons for the Governor’s reaction.

“I have great regard and respect for the Governor and during all my meetings with the Governor, he has advised me on several issues as a senior politician,” Mr. Yeddyurappa said. The Chief Minister was here to lay the foundation stone for the construction of a new township for the 200 families in Thinthani village on the banks of the Krishna.

The Chief Minister said that on his return to Bangalore on Saturday he would meet the Governor and personally apprise him of all the steps taken by the government to provide relief to the affected people and also seek his cooperation and good offices to get more funds from the Union Government for further speeding up the relief and rehabilitation in the affected areas.

On the Governor’s assertion that no Minister had met him and briefed him about the relief measures taken up, Mr. Yeddyurappa said that Home Minister V.S. Acharya, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar and Principal Secretary in the Chief Minister’s office had during their regular briefings to the Governor provided all the details about the relief measures taken up in the flood-hit areas. “During my meetings also, I had given details of relief measures to the Governor”.

When asked whether he saw any political motives in the stinging statement of the Governor, Mr. Yeddyurappa replied in negative. “While carrying out such a monumental work of providing relief to such a large displaced families, some discrepancies might have taken place, which have missed our notice… we are ready to correct these mistakes and carry forward.”

Mr. Yeddyurappa said that 345 flood-prone villages would have to be shifted to safe places and of them land for 205 villages had been identified. Of the lands identified for 205 villages, the authorities have purchased lands for relocating 163 villages and the construction work would start in these places. “We have issued strict instructions to the Deputy Commissioners to speed up the purchase of the lands for shifting the flood-prone villages,” he said.

“I will shortly leave for New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister and plead for early release of additional funds for relief works,” he said. The Chief Minister said the delay in release of funds by the Centre had not affected the relief operations.

Cooperation Minister Lakshman S. Savadi, Animal Husbandry Minister Revu Naik Belamagi, Chairman of the High Power Committee for Implementation of the Nanjundappa Committee Shashil G. Namoshi, HKDB Chairman Amarnath Patil and Surpur MLA Raju Gowda were present.

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