Bengaluru: The Siddaramaiah government's belated measures to fight the severe drought, have come under fire with even ministers admitting that the government woke up only after leaders of the opposition BJP decided to undertake a state-wide tour to take stock of the situation.
These ministers admitted to Deccan Chronicle that there was a delay in taking up drought relief measures. There are many who feel that it was only after the BJP appointed B.S. Yeddyurappa as state president and he announced a list of leaders to tour drought hit areas that the government woke up. The Congress first formed four cabinet sub-committees and then came the CM's state-wide tour.
However, co-operation minister Mahadevprasad dismissed allegations that the government reacted very slowly. “We were busy in the Budget session in March. But ministers have started touring all districts in batches in the third week of April to monitor relief work. Even Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been touring the districts to get a first hand experience of the drought".
He denied reports that ministers were busy safeguarding their positions than concentrating on the drought after legislators held a series of meetings seeking Cabinet berths. “Legislators have hardly met once or twice and that has nothing to do with the delay. The BJP legislators, who were holed up in resorts for weeks to pull down the Yeddyurappa government, do not have any moral right to talk about us."
Another minister felt the situation would have been better had the government started prepared for the harsh summer in October-November. “We knew the monsoon had failed by September end, we should have worked out a detailed action plan. We should have ensured drinking water by opening water kiosks in all affected villages by releasing funds. What we are doing now, should have been done in January-February".
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar likened the government's approach to 'digging a well when the house is on fire'. People are scraping the bottom of dried up river beds to get a pail of water, he said.
