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ShareBangalore: Governor HR Bharadwaj on Thursday openly expressed dissatisfaction over the flood relief measures taken up by the state government.
Speaking at the Krishi Mela at the GKVK campus, Bharadwaj said, "I am watching all the flood relief measures being taken by the government and I am very upset on the manner in which victims are being compensated. The state government has not properly utilised the Rs1,000 crore relief sanctioned by the Centre. If the state government has a shortage of funds, then I will personally ask the Union government for more funds. If the state was really concerned about the flood victims, it should have called for an emergency session and discussed the issue," he said.
Reacting to this, chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who is now ridding himself off the controversy that dogged the state BJP unit over the last couple of weeks, only said, "We will consider the governor's suggestions, if any."
When asked about the Lokayukta report on the flood-relief work taken up by the state government, Yeddyurappa admitted that there has been misappropriation of funds, but defended his statement saying, "The state government has taken flood relief measures in a big way and such lapses are bound to occur."
He added that he would personally meet Lokayukta Justice Santosh N Hedge in a day or two and ask for suggestions to plug loopholes.
However, Yeddyurappa is in for some surprise as the Lokayukta is of the opinion that he has not even read the report and is unaware of the comments mentioned in it. Justice Hegde said, "I did not say that I am dissatisfied with the flood relief works. I mentioned areas where there are shortcomings and places where there is good work."
Lokayukta feels piqued by CBI probe possibility
- Soumya Menon
On the possibility of a CBI probe into the illegal iron-ore mining activities in the state, Lokayukta Justice Santosh N Hegde said, "First of all, the state government may not permit a CBI probe in this regard so easily. If it was keen, it would have taken action soon after we submiited our report on December 18, 2008. I have no objection to a CBI probe, but it will seem like another investigating agency is trying to gratify the correctness of the Lokayukta report."
Hegde said that since the Andhra Pradesh government has already granted permission for a CBI probe "it is mandatory under the Criminal Procedure Code and the rights of investigating agencies to exchange data. If the CBI asks for the report, we will hand it over to them after examining the situation. But, we will not volunteer to help them as we have already finished our probe".
He added, "If the CBI conducts an enquiry in Karnataka, then it has to be on fair grounds and cannot be anything different from the Lokayukta report."
