BANGALORE: The Government did not seem to have done its homework before taking part in the high-level meeting with the Union Water Resources Minister on the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, and the outcome of Tuesday's meeting had exposed that fact, Leader of the Opposition H.K. Patil alleged in the Legislative Council on Wednesday.

Seeking a detailed discussion on the issue in the House, Mr. Patil said before Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Water Resources Minister K.S. Eshwarappa and others left for Delhi to attend the meeting, the Government should have taken the Opposition parties, and both Houses into confidence.

It should have prepared the State's case for more positive results. Now, they were back from the meeting but the House was still in the dark about why the talks failed.

Mr. Eshwarappa said he was in the House to specifically make a statement and apprise members of all that took place.

"There is no question of anyone in the Government disregarding the House or its members," he said. Mr. Eshwarappa pointed out that the Government had decided to respond to a notice received from the Union Government to attend the meeting.

Plan of action

At this point, several indignant members from the Opposition said it was the Government's duty to inform the House about such a notice, call for records, marshal the advice, experience, wisdom and suggestions from senior members of other parties, and prepare a plan of action that would be to the State's advantage.

Later, the Congress members walked out of the House expressing their dissatisfaction over the Government's oral and written replies to the issue.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu