While parts of Karnataka are reeling under severe drought, 14 MLAs, some accompanied by their family members, have taken an overseas “study tour” to South America!
Karnataka is suddenly in the news for several reasons. The first major news is the clearance received from the Supreme Court for some mining companies in ‘A’ category to recommence their operations.
It may be noted that Category ‘A’ mines are those where the miners have either committed no or minor illegalities during the operations; but this permission is subject to their compliance with statutory clearances such as the approvals from the mining department, environmental and pollution clearances. They would need to undertake the responsibility for proper rehabilitation and reclamation of the depleted mines in a time bound manner. Not a small order to comply, but this pronouncement is at least a great leap for the activities to recommence in Karnataka iron ore mines.
Due to the erratic and poor monsoon conditions in many areas of the state, which have been declared as “drought affected”, farmers have been assured of assistance.
It may be recalled only recently, a six-member central drought team visited affected villages, many of which are short of potable water necessitating the long three km walk to get them every day. We had also mentioned, in our earlier coverage, that the villagers have been assured of potable water supply “within a month”, though, this team chose to come to the site in a helicopter at great cost. (
Farm subsidies should go to make farmers self-sufficient in the long run)
Farmers had also complained of fodder shortage and had sought assistance to increase the wages to Rs250 per day instead of Rs155 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act. Northing has been done or heard on this score.
Additionally, the farmers had also demanded waiver of loans taken from nationalized banks instead of giving crop loss compensation, for which they had already paid insurance premium for over a year.
A protest for non implementation of the tank filling project in Baleshwar taluka upset the farmers so much they began a fast, led by local MLA MB Patil. The farmers do not want any lip service but demand actual implementation of the promises made. They are expected to launch a fast till 10th September, after which it is likely to become indefinite fast covering neighbouring villages, as more and more farmers are expected to join this agitation.
In the meantime, Shobha Karadlaje, the state energy minister, has charged lukewarm response from the Union government in the allotment of coal to Karnataka’s thermal power stations. She had urged the Centre to ensure regular supply of coal to power stations at Bellary, Yadlapur and Yermaras.
Because of the poor monsoons, Karnataka is forced to purchase power from independent private power generators. One wonders why Karnataka has not thought of involving Neyveli Lignite Corporation of Tamil Nadu into some sort of joint venture so that an independent thermal power station be established, using lignite as fuel and supply the generated power to the southern states, bulk of which be given to Karnataka as the principal partner? Surely such a proposal is worth investigating further, as this could be helpful to the “Southern Sisters”.
In the meanwhile, instead of austerity measures, and without paying heed to the entreaties of chief minister Jagdish Settar, 14 MLAs, some of whom accompanied by their family members, have taken an overseas “study tour” to South America! Times Now, which has the visuals of this luxury jaunt by the MLAs, has been telecasting the visit for more than 24 hours now. It is now clear how these MLAs know how to blow tax payers money in such overseas jaunts under the guise of undertaking a “study tour”. Click here to watch the video.
Now that the documented visit has been seen on the TV by millions of voters in Karnataka, as a face-saving measure, a ‘study’ or “project visit” will have to be organized by their ‘local’ connections. It is time that the voters decide what is good for them and record a suitable welcome to the delegation when they return, by voting them out of the office!
(AK Ramdas has worked with the Engineering Export Promotion Council of the ministry of commerce and was associated with various committees of the Council. His international career took him to places like Beirut, Kuwait and Dubai at a time when these were small trading outposts; and later to the US. He can be contacted at [email protected].)
