Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday instructed Deputy Commissioners of all districts and CEOs of Zilla Panchayats to transform the government’s image by reaching out to people through field visits and shunning the earlier functioning style of operating from the comfort of their offices.
“It is not possible to work efficiently and effectively if you operate only from the office. You should be on the field attending to the problems of people. The Deputy Commissioners have stopped going into the field. Even they should start reaching out to people through field visits,” said the CM, who reviewed the situation with respect to natural calamities and preparations for the monsoon as well as sowing for kharif season through video interaction with the administration of all the districts.
Referring to the incidents of rain havoc in which people lost their lives in different parts of the State, the CM warned the officials against laxity in preventing such incidents through precautionary measures.
10% excess rain, much damage
Mr. Siddaramaiah said the pre-monsoon showers, which were in excess of 10% compared with normal rainfall, had claimed the lives of 52 persons and 331 cattle besides damaging standing crops on 20,000 hectares and damaging 814 houses. He sought to remind the Agriculture Department about the need to take up precautionary measures for sowing season as the South-West Monsoon was expected to enter the state on June 9.
He advised the officials to take precautionary measures in tune with the Weather Department’s prediction to prevent flooding of human settlements. He asked them to identify the public infrastructure such as bridges and school buildings in dilapidated conditions so that they could be improved ahead of monsoon.
He warned the officials that any laxity or irresponsible attitude would not be tolerated.
He particularly asked the district administrations to ensure that there was adequate stock of sowing seeds and fertilizers ahead of the beginning of sowing season. He urged them to prevent recurrence of Haveri police firing episode in which police had to open fire on farmers who were protesting against shortage of fertilisers and sowing seeds during the BJP regime in 2008.
On underpasses
The CM asked officials concerned to prevent water logging in underpasses in Bengaluru and close such underpasses temporarily if there was waterlogging. He also directed them to desilt Raja Kaluves and clear them of encroachments.
