Bengaluru: Congress MLA H.K. Patil to Wait Till October 2 for Gadag Drought-Hit Status
Patil said he would take a decision on quitting as MLA between October 2 and October 10 if his demand is not considered.
Bengaluru: A miffed Congress MLA and former minister H.K. Patil on Monday stated he would take a decision on quitting as MLA between October 2 and October 10 if his demand to get Gadag as a drought-affected district is not considered by the State Government by then.
He said to continue his persuasion till October 2 (Gandhi Jayanthi) to bring Gadag under drought-prone list. H.K. Patil represents Gadag in the Assembly.
In a chat with reporters in Bengaluru, Patil blamed the officials concerned of ‘misinterpreting’ guidelines laid down to declare drought-affected and Gadag being 49 percent rain deficit has been “kept aside” by officials concerned.
Adding, he said, despite Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s direction to officials to tag Gadag as drought-prone area but that has not been done and a displeased Patil said “What is the logic I don’t understand?”
He pointed to the visit of Chief Minister to Gadag on September 1 to undertake inspection of conditions over deficit rainfall this season and he was convinced of the grave situation of farmers reeling over low rainfall.
“Chief Minister was unhappy and disturbed over the assessment of the drought in Gadag,” he added.
Blaming officials concerned over ignoring Gadag, Patil said “some officials have wrongly interpreted the drought parameters to deceive farmers of Gadag.
” Continuing, he said "It is unfortunate that Gadag has not been considered to tag it drought-hit” and the former minister pointed to the resolution taken at MLAs meeting to declare Gadag as drought-hit and “data is available apart from on spot inspection of the farm lands.”