JOIN USRush to farmers' rescue, Eshwarappa urges govt
Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council K S Eshwarappa on Monday urged the State government to rush to the rescue of farmers who have lost their standing crops to rain in the district.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the rain-hit villages in Bangarpet and Srinivaspur taluks, Eshwarappa said the rain has completely destroyed flowers, mango, drumstick, tomato, coriander and other horticultural crops cultivated on several hundred of acres of land. The farmers bearing the brunt of untimely rain. The rain is said to be worst in the last 90 years, he observed.
“The district in-charge minister should have personally visited the rain-hit areas by now. He should have inspected the crops loss and taken necessary steps to disburse compensation to the affected farmers. The government has given them vehicles, bungalows and staff to them to respond to the problems of people, Eshwarappa remarked.
“The Chief Minister, horticulture, agriculture and the District In-charge ministers should visit the rain-hit areas without further delay and understand the farmers’ plight The Chief minister recently conducted an aerial survey in Koppal district. He should also conduct a similar survey in Kolar district,” Eshwarappa demanded.
“The farmers have spent up to Rs 1.5 lakh per acre to grow the crops. Crops are lost to rain only at a few places, not all over the State. So it will not be a burden to the government to provide compensation to the affected farmers. The State government should at least give them more than Rs 50,000 as compensation per acre,” he observed.
The Opposition leader accused the government of putting off the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike and gram panchayat elections.
“This is nothing but a murder of democracy. It is not right to give power to officials without holding elections for the local bodies,” he said.
Eshwarappa charged that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is misleading people by stating that BJP leaders wanted to divide the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike.
“Siddaramaiah is an expert in lying. The government should hold the Palike and gram panchayat elections at the earliest,” Eshwarappa demanded.
He said his party (BJP) is gearing up to face the forthcoming gram panchayat
polls.
“The party leaders will tour all Assembly constituencies from May 8 to 17 and campaign for our candidates. They will visit Tumakuru on May 8, Davangere on 13, Chitradurga on 15 and Kolar on 16,” the Opposition leader stated.
Eshwarappa was accompanied by Memberof Legislatie Council Y A Narayanaswamy, former minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, M Nara-yanaswamy and B P Venkatamuniyappa.