The truncated whistle-stop tour of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the rain and flood-hit areas in the Hyderabad-Karnataka and Bombay-Karnataka districts came to an abrupt end as he cancelled the scheduled tour of Gadag at the last-minute owing to lack of time. He decided to return to Bangalore via Bellary.
The helicopter carrying Mr. Siddaramaiah and his ministerial colleagues V. Srinivas Prasad and Krishna Byre Gowda, which took off from the helipad at the Superintendent of Police office ground in Raichur, returned within minutes after the pilots expressed concern about the failing light and inclement weather. Later, the Chief Minister decided to call off the Gadag visit and leave for Toranagal in Bellary.
Mr. Siddaramaiah who arrived an hour behind schedule to Gulbarga, visited the flood-hit areas in Mahagoan village and went round the historic Sharanabasaveshwar tank, which had developed hair line crack and threatened to breach, before the authorities let out the excess water from the tank on August 29. In Raichur, Mr. Siddaramaiah, who arrived three hours behind schedule, cancelled his visit to the flood-hit villages of Marched, Jegarakal and Hospet and decided to spend some time in the flood-hit areas in Raichur city and visited the house of a person who was killed in the flash floods at Basavana Bavi Chowk. He also visited Urkundi Eeranna Colony, Haji Colony and Aam Talab before having informal discussions with the officials.
The Chief Minister told the people he met that government would give them assistance.
(The Hindu)
