Alleging that the sitting MLA and Minister Shankar Patil Munenakoppa had failed to address the grievances of the people of flood-affected villages in the constituency, former MLA N.H. Konaraddi has decided to launch ‘village stay’ in the affected villages as part of protest seeking relief.
Addressing presspersons in Hubballi on Wednesday, Mr. Konaraddi alleged that his ‘village stay’ programme would begin from Wednesday evening with stay at Amrutheshwar Nagar in Annigeri town. He said he would proceed to the village on tractor and stay in the town and subsequently proceed to other villages on tractor till the remedial steps were taken.
Mr. Konaraddi alleged that Mr. Shankar Patil Munenakoppa had not taken remedial measures to mitigate the hardships of the residents of flood-affected villages and get them early relief.
He said his village stay programme along with interaction with the residents and farmers would continue for a month or till the government took steps to compensate the affected people.
On the visits of the Minister to the affected villages, Mr. Konaraddi termed the visits as an ‘eye wash’. “Because of spate in Benne Halla, Yarana Halla, Handiganalla, Radihalla and other streams crops have been damaged and houses have collapsed. The minister is just paying visits but the people are not getting any compensation. While compensation is being disbursed in other districts of the state, no compensation has reached affected people in Navalgund constituency,” he alleged.
To a query, Mr. Konaraddi said that the village stay was also meant at interacting with farmers and understanding ground realities and issues along with staging agitation against the state and central government.
