Chief Minister Siddaramiah has come under criticism for his flying visits to a select few villages in the name of a drought study tour.
Mr. Siddaramiah was in Hubbballi district to visit the drought-affected areas on Tuesday, and villagers were eager to meet him and explain their grievances. However, many were left upset as the Chief Minister’s visit was limited to a few minutes in each village. He simply looked over the tanker water supply numbers and other drought-related works wherever he landed.
In Bhandiwad village, a group of women tried to block his car and told him to listen to their grievances instead of conducting flying visits. In Mantur village, the residents tried to block his car but the police foiled their efforts.
The villagers said there were several issues such as insufficient supply of potable water and encroachment of natural tanks, which they wished to bring to the notice of the Chief Minister.
In Bhadiwad, the women who had come in the morning to collect potable water were made to wait for hours because of Mr. Siddaramaiah’s visit.
This is because the officials told them they would begin distributing water only after the Chief Minister arrives.
In Yarinarayanapur, Mr. Siddaramiah visited a check dam where work on removing silt was on under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Here, villagers said the work was carried out on the day for namesake as most of the youngsters have already migrated to cities in search of livelihood.
