Karnataka needs rail link not district airports
CJ:S Shivakumar, Merinews - August 4th 2008
Where is the need to construct airports at all the district HQ towns when a second railway track between Bangalore and Mysore is yet to materialise? What purpose will me-too airports serve? More useful things can be done with that money.
WITH DROUGHT looming ahead ominously, the Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa has asked his deputy commissioners and zilla panchayat officers to pull their socks up. Rainfall in 100 of the 176 taluks of the state had fallen short by 22 percent. He said the state would face a serious situation if it did not rain in the next few weeks. The State should equip itself to tackle water scarcity and fodder scarcity. He asked his officers to ensure adequate supply of fodder and initiate employment generation activities in their districts to contain migration to urban centres. In case of extreme scarcity, the officers should arrange supply of water through tankers. At the same time, he also warned that districts like Bijapur, Bagalkot and Belgaum might face flash floods if the inflow in Bhima and Krishna rivers rose.
He admitted that fertiliser scarcity continued in the state. Hence, he wanted the officers to distribute the current inventory of fertilisers transparently. The Central government had supplied only 50 percent of the state’s requirement of fertilisers. He further declared that his government would construct airports at all the district headquarters. Towards this end, a sum of Rs 150 crores had already been set aside. The district DCs had been asked to recommend suitable sites for the purpose. Plans have been approved for constructing 12 airports and 10 air strips. New ones would be approved soon. The seven municipal corporations in the state would be allocated Rs 50 crores each by way of development funds. Ring roads would come up in Hubli-Dharwar, Belgaum, Gulbarga, Devanagere, Mysore and Mangalore. He wanted positive results and not excuses from his officers.
Implicit in the CM’s statement is the admission that some parts of the state would be affected by floods while the rest of the state would be affected by drought. But, this has been happening ever since the state came into being on November 1, 1956. So, for over 50 years, the state has been spending considerable sum of money to tackle drought and floods. Has any serious attempt been made by the state government to find a permanent solution to the problem? Is there a permanent solution? Yes, there is and it is a feasible solution, especially if viewed in the backdrop the vast sum of money the government has spent over the past 50-odd years. The government could have integrated the rivers at the state level so water from flooded rivers could be channelled into rivers which run dry. This would have saved the government crores of rupees it has so far spent to rescue people affected by floods; and it would have prevented loss of lives and property; it would also have saved the government the crores of rupees it has so far spent on providing succour to people affected by drought. In the circumstances, if the government argues that it could not take up the task of linking the rivers at the state-level, owing to paucity of resources, it cannot be accepted. River-linking could have been achieved by using only a part of the money the government has so far spent on providing relief to people affected by floods and drought. BSY may be aware of the fact that neighbouring Tamil Nadu has already made a beginning in this direction.
It is unwise too on the part of the Karnataka government to think in terms of constructing airports at all district HQ towns. Even the Bangalore international airport is not complete in all respects as of today, owing to resource crunch, amongst other things. If the state’s leading commercial centre, viz., Bangalore, boasts of an airport of international standard, it is more than enough. What is important is ensuring good train connectivity and road connectivity between Bangalore and other towns in the state to promote commerce and industry.
The sum of Rs 150 crores set aside for the purpose of constructing airports at all district HQ towns can be utilised to ensure this connectivity.
Alternatively, the said sum can be used to hasten the doubling of the Bangalore-Mysore railway track. It is a matter of shame that the two cities, both major tourist centres, do not boast of proper train connectivity even 50 years after the formation of the state. Doubling of the railway track should be completed as early as possible. By constructing airports at all district HQ towns the state government will have something to show against its name only for statistical purposes. Me-too airports will serve no purpose. Nothing will have been achieved in real terms. Let us hope BSY will put the scarce resources to better use.
