Karnataka legislators begin study tour of Ladakh to ‘gain experience’

A BJP legislator who is also a member of the delegation said that the study tour is visiting Ladakh only to understand how the Union territory functions.

At least 10 legislators from the state have visited Ladakh to learn about the administrative aspects of the Union territory under the Karnataka government’s six-day study tour. They reached Ladakh on Thursday evening.

At least 10 legislators from the state have visited Ladakh to learn about the administrative aspects of the Union territory under the Karnataka government’s six-day study tour. (HT )

Members of the Assurances Committee, whose main functions include to scrutinize assurances, promises and undertakings given by ministers periodically on the floor of the house.

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator who is also a member of the delegation said that the study tour is visiting Ladakh only to understand how the Union territory functions.

“It is very surprising to know it (Ladakh) functions only for about three to five months. The other times it is closed because of the snow and glaciers,” the legislator said, requesting not to be named..

The statements come at a time when several parts of Karnataka are facing heavy rains and have been left inundated due to the downpour especially Udupi where life has been thrown out of gear. Interestingly, the chairman of the delegation, Raghupati Bhat, is the BJP legislator from Udupi and is currently on the tour. The legislator said that “one of us will be writing about it (study tour) in detail”.

“The tour has no relation to Bengaluru or Karnataka,” the legislator said on how the learnings in Ladakh can be implemented in the state.

“We encounter such type of problems and (are trying to know) what are the remedies? Like, we have a lot of sewage problems, they also face problems due to glaciers. So when you compare the two situations, you can learn many things on how they function (at that time),” the legislator said.

Meanwhile, Bhat said that such study tours are a “routine affair” and that legislators under previous governments for the last 50 years have been doing the same.

“This (tour) is for us to gain experience. We were unable to do this for the last two years due to Covid-19. There are rules following which these tours are organised,” Bhat said.

He added that the team is looking at the development of the region which has only recently become a Union territory.

Replying to a query on his absence from his constituency in the midst of heavy rains, Bhat said: “When we left for Ladakh, there were no rains at all. Moreover, our entire team, including the tehsildar, DC and others are in constant touch with the officials in Udupi,” he said.

He added that the government only pays for flight tickets and Dearness Allowance but all other costs have to be incurred by the legislators themselves.