Seed potato row: 'DC responsible if farmers go berserk'

Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis will be held responsible, if there is a breakdown in law and order in the district, due to the unregulated distribution of seed potatoes, warned Public Works Department Minister H D Revanna.

Addressing mediapersons here on Wednesday, Revanna said unplanned distribution of seed potatoes may irk the farmers, who may go out of control.

The DC will be responsible if any shoot-out (golibar)-like incident on farmers is reported, he said.

“The DC has no time to discuss about farmers, even after the Lok Sabha elections are over. The government has released Rs 8 crore for drought-relief works, and Rs 5 crore to address the drinking water problems. But the district administration has not released a single rupee so far. If she is not capable of managing the show, let her take leave,” he said. Revanna criticised the BJP for writing a letter to the Election Commission, not to allow the district in-charge ministers to conduct meetings, citing Lok Sabha elections.

Reacting to his charges, DC Priyanka said, “All pending works pertaining to farmers will be taken up on priority. A task force meeting is conducted every week. A meeting has already been held with the potato growers to discuss on fixing the prices of seed potatoes. There is no connection between drought-relief and model code of conduct. I don’t know why he has raised the ‘golibar’ topic”.