BANGALORE: Looks like one tragedy may have uncovered another: the Hampi Express mishap at Penukonda in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday — which left 25 dead and over 100 injured — disproved Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda’s claim that there was no migration of people due to drought in Karnataka. Addressing a Congress agitation against the state government recently, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Siddaramaiah said that many of the victims in the mishap were from drought-hit districts of the state, and were travelling to major towns in search of jobs. He slammed the state government for its inept handling of the prevailing drought. The JD(S) too had accused the state government of doing nothing to prevent the exodus of people from drought-affected regions in search of jobs. Sadananda Gowda, however, at the recent all-party meeting in Delhi, had stoutly countered all such charges. A status card issued by the CM’s office on the drought reiterated that such incidents had not occurred. The state had estimated total loss due to drought at `6,000 crore and had appealed for Central assistance for relief works.
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