<p>Members of Congress in the Gauribidanur Town Municipal Council will have a week-long trip to New Delhi regardless of severe criticism from members of the opposition and the public.<br /><br />The members have planned to submit a memorandum to union ministers to ensure better underground drainage facilities to the town. <br /><br />The members have even claimed support of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G Parameshwara and legislator N H Shivashankara Reddy.<br /><br />Other trips cancelled<br /><br />The Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has cancelled plans of a foreign trip while the State is struggling with a drought. <br /><br />He had also recalled district in-charge Minister A Narayanaswamy, who was on a trip abroad. Several other legislators and officers had to cancel their foreign tours.<br /><br />The TMC members, however, are going ahead with their plans of visiting the national capital and busy preparing for it. The president, vice-president and more than 12 members will leave for New Delhi on May 6. They will travel by train and return to Gauribidanur by flight on May 13.<br /><br />Although the official work of submitting the memorandum will take barely a few minutes, the tour will extend for a week. The members will also visit various tourist spots in and around New Delhi.<br /><br />Permission<br /></p>.<p>“The expenditure for our trip will add up to Rs three lakh, but we have obtained permission of the Civic Administration Department. If we get funds up to Rs 35 crore under projects of the Union Government, we can undertake the underground drainage work in the town,” explained a Congress member of the TMC and added, “What is wrong if we travel to New Delhi for development work?”<br /><br />Members of the JD(S) and the BJP have already staged protests objecting to the trip. The Congress members, however, are determined to go ahead with their plans.<br /><br />“The drought conditions are severe in Chikkaballapur, Bagepalli and other taluks of the district. But since Gauribidanur has no major water shortage problem. Which is why we are going on a trip,” they added.<br /><br />We will complete tour<br /><br />Gauribidanur is not facing acute shortage of water. We have solved drought-related problems and have worked for the overall development of the city. The BJP and JD(S) party members who have neglected development works are speaking against legislators who are on the tour. People with bias are trying to create obstacles. Whatever be the hindrances, we will complete the tour.<br /><br /><em>-V Ramesh, TMC vice-president<br /></em><br />Waste of money<br /><br />There is no need for 12 members to tour Delhi to submit a memorandum. These members can actually convey the issue to the Union Minister Veerappa Moily through phone. They can submit the memorandum to the minister when he visits Gauribidanur. So, many members travelling to Delhi is a waste of money.<br /><br /><em>-Anantaraj, JD(S) member, TMC<br /><br /></em>Better to cancel tour<br /><br />The Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has directed the people’s representatives not to go on tours during drought situation. He has cancelled his tours and also directed the District in-charge Minister A Narayanaswamy to cut down his tour. Some of the TMC members travelling to Delhi in such conditions is not fair. It is better if they cancel their tour.<br /><br /><em>Ramesh Rao, General Secretary, BJP</em></p>
<p>Members of Congress in the Gauribidanur Town Municipal Council will have a week-long trip to New Delhi regardless of severe criticism from members of the opposition and the public.<br /><br />The members have planned to submit a memorandum to union ministers to ensure better underground drainage facilities to the town. <br /><br />The members have even claimed support of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G Parameshwara and legislator N H Shivashankara Reddy.<br /><br />Other trips cancelled<br /><br />The Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has cancelled plans of a foreign trip while the State is struggling with a drought. <br /><br />He had also recalled district in-charge Minister A Narayanaswamy, who was on a trip abroad. Several other legislators and officers had to cancel their foreign tours.<br /><br />The TMC members, however, are going ahead with their plans of visiting the national capital and busy preparing for it. The president, vice-president and more than 12 members will leave for New Delhi on May 6. They will travel by train and return to Gauribidanur by flight on May 13.<br /><br />Although the official work of submitting the memorandum will take barely a few minutes, the tour will extend for a week. The members will also visit various tourist spots in and around New Delhi.<br /><br />Permission<br /></p>.<p>“The expenditure for our trip will add up to Rs three lakh, but we have obtained permission of the Civic Administration Department. If we get funds up to Rs 35 crore under projects of the Union Government, we can undertake the underground drainage work in the town,” explained a Congress member of the TMC and added, “What is wrong if we travel to New Delhi for development work?”<br /><br />Members of the JD(S) and the BJP have already staged protests objecting to the trip. The Congress members, however, are determined to go ahead with their plans.<br /><br />“The drought conditions are severe in Chikkaballapur, Bagepalli and other taluks of the district. But since Gauribidanur has no major water shortage problem. Which is why we are going on a trip,” they added.<br /><br />We will complete tour<br /><br />Gauribidanur is not facing acute shortage of water. We have solved drought-related problems and have worked for the overall development of the city. The BJP and JD(S) party members who have neglected development works are speaking against legislators who are on the tour. People with bias are trying to create obstacles. Whatever be the hindrances, we will complete the tour.<br /><br /><em>-V Ramesh, TMC vice-president<br /></em><br />Waste of money<br /><br />There is no need for 12 members to tour Delhi to submit a memorandum. These members can actually convey the issue to the Union Minister Veerappa Moily through phone. They can submit the memorandum to the minister when he visits Gauribidanur. So, many members travelling to Delhi is a waste of money.<br /><br /><em>-Anantaraj, JD(S) member, TMC<br /><br /></em>Better to cancel tour<br /><br />The Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has directed the people’s representatives not to go on tours during drought situation. He has cancelled his tours and also directed the District in-charge Minister A Narayanaswamy to cut down his tour. Some of the TMC members travelling to Delhi in such conditions is not fair. It is better if they cancel their tour.<br /><br /><em>Ramesh Rao, General Secretary, BJP</em></p>
