Karnataka - Bangalore

Task forces to monitor drinking water supply

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Party meet: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa (right) and State BJP president D.V. Sadananda Gowda at a meeting with party legislators in Bangalore on Tuesday.

BANGALORE: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Tuesday said the Government would constitute taluk-level task forces headed by the local MLAs to monitor the drinking water supply situation.

Briefing reporters after the conclusion of a two-day district-wise interaction with Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs here, Mr. Yeddyurappa said the task forces would take appropriate steps to ensure proper supply of drinking water.

He said he would instruct the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that the Janaspandana programmes were held under the chairmanship of the local MLAs. Under the Janaspandana programme, taluk-level officials visit hobli headquarters every Saturday and hear the grievances of rural people.

At the meeting, BJP leaders discussed various issues including the implementation of development schemes and party’s preparations for the byelections. It is learnt that the Chief Minister obtained feedback from the legislators on the status of implementation of various development schemes besides trying to create awareness among them about the importance of some of the schemes. The MLAs were also told to play a proactive role in expediting development schemes.

Most of the legislators are said to have expressed concern over the extended power cuts and the bad condition of roads. The ruling party MLAs were told that the power supply problems were mainly due to the severe shortage due to the Centre cutting down the State’s quota of power by about 500 MW. The MLAs were asked to create public awareness in this regard.

The Chief Minister said he would hold a meeting with officials of the departments of Public Works and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj on Wednesday to discuss the condition of roads in the State.

The district in-charge ministers were told to hold a meeting of the MLAs in their districts every month to discuss issues related to the implementation of development schemes.

He said the Government had decided to reduce non-Plan expenditure in view of the global recession.

None of the ministers from Bellary district attended the district-wise interaction or the legislature party meeting. Referring to this, State BJP president D.V. Sadananda Gowda said the ministers could not attend as they had been asked to camp in Delhi to canvass for the party in the Assembly elections there.

He also sought to play down the reported remarks of Health Minister B. Sriramulu that he was ready to become Chief Minister if the party leadership so desired. “What is wrong with that statement? Even I am ready to become Chief Minister if the party high command wishes,” he said.

Mr. Gowda clarified that the party’s official stand was that the coming byelections in the State should not be considered a referendum on the Government’s performance because it had been formed only recently.

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