BENGALURU: With migrant workers from different parts of the country heading to their native towns, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Saturday assured his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik that the Karnataka government is taking all steps to take care of migrant workers from all states, including Odisha. During a video conference with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Naveen Patnaik, regarding the transportation of labourers from Odisha residing in Karnataka, Yediyurappa explained the measures taken by the state government. He said that all essential facilities were extended to the labourers during the lockdown, and that extra care was taken to ensure that they did not starve, a CMO official said.
Economic activities are beginning as per guidelines issued by the central government, and most of the workers would be re-employed, Yediyurappa said. Nodal officers have been appointed to oversee the transportation of labourers belonging to other states. They are coordinating with officers in Odisha, he noted. The details of the workers, their health screening and quarantine system and other matters were also discussed. Karnataka Chief Secretary TM Vijayabhaskar and the Odisha government chief secretary were also part of the meeting.
CM seeks water for dry districts
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Saturday requested his Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray to direct the authorities concerned to release 3 tmcft of water from Ujjani reservoir to the Bhima river, on humanitarian grounds.
“As you are aware, the North Karnataka districts of Belagavi, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Kalaburgi, Yadagiri and Raichur are facing acute shortage of drinking water due to the onset of a severe summer from the early days of March itself. Even in the past, during such a situation, the government of Maharashtra was kind enough to release water to meet drinking water needs in the drought-affected areas of Karnataka,” the Chief Minister stated in a letter to Thackeray.