Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s visit to the flood-hit areas of Mudigere taluk on Tuesday was wrapped up in a few minutes, leaving the locals angry.
The residents of Malemane and those staying in the relief centre at Bidarahalli felt the CM did not spend enough time to truly understand the situation on the ground.
Mr. Yediyurappa, along with Minister C.T. Ravi, Lok Sabha member Shobha Karandlaje and MLA M.P. Kumaraswamy, reached Malemane, one of the villages worst-hit by floods, around 3 p.m. Many houses were damaged and coffee estates washed away. He spent no more than 18 minutes there, which made the locals angry, since he had come visiting for the first time.
The situation at Madhugundi and Alekhan Horatti was worse. Here, the villagers affected by landslips are still at the relief centre set up at Morarji School at Bidarahalli. The officers had informed them that the CM would meet them. Even a police force was deployed for Mr. Yediyurappa’s visit, but he did not turn up.
Veerappa of Alekhan Horatti said, “We are ready to give up our land in our village. Let the Forest Department take it while the government rehabilitates us to a better place. We wanted to place this demand before the Chief Minister.”
Mr. Yediyurappa, meanwhile, told presspersons that he was committed to providing relief to flood victims. “I have asked the Deputy Commissioner to come to Bengaluru with a detailed report on rehabilitation. The government is considering rehabilitating the affected elsewhere,” he said.
