SHIGGAON: As you step outside the palatial bungalow of the new Chief Minister of Karnataka Basavaraj Bommai on Savanur-Shiggon main road in Shiggaon, dusty and poorly managed roads tell the sorry tale of the constituency. The people are happy that their favourite leader has been chosen as the Chief Minister of the state, but they list out their demands.
This is the third time Basavaraj Bommai is representing the Shiggaon-Savanur constituency of Haveri district. The town is badly in need of good roads, illumination and a health care system that can cater to hundreds of villages around. For every major health need the patients need to come to KIMS hospital in Hubballi. Besides the health infrastructure, the connectivity and transport services to 417 villages in Shiggaon and Savanur needs a boost.
But people also remember the contributions of Bommai who helped them solve their drinking water issues. For several years Savanur and Shiggaon had major problems with drinking especially during summer months. Thanks to the efforts of Bommai, two large water bodies in these towns were filled with water from the Varada river. For the last three years, the summers have not been so difficult for the people here. This has also helped large numbers of farmers who live along these canals.
Puttangouda Patil, resident of Shiggaon said that in 2013 itself Bommai ensured completion of the drinking water canal between Naganur and Gangibhavi. There are 3.5 lakh people in these two towns and villages who badly require medical facilities and good roads for commuting. Good roads will also help them take their agricultural produce to the markets in Haveri, Byadgi and Rangebennur,” he said.
“Now that Bommai has promised that he will make Shiggaon as a model constituency, we are hoping to see some development. There has been a long-pending demand from the people that Shinggaon should have a medical college,” said Shivappa Chikkannavar, a businessman from Shiggaon