Water is not a problem here, but roads and the bad drainage system is something that needs immediate attention. The only park at Shikaripura is no longer a park. It has become a playground for the pigs and also a dumping yard. Worse, it is visible to the main road which incidentally is a state highway.
Education facilities too need immediate attention. For the poor, there is a government school, but in case they want to study higher, then the next place is Shimoga, which is 60 km away.
Worse, a nursing college that used to exist too has been shifted to Shimoga since there were not many students. Shivanna, a resident in one of the villages, feels that the college ought not to have been shifted. It would have been very beneficial to the public had it been there, he adds.
Even as these key issues remain unresolved, the battle between the two star candidates continues in full flow. The people of Shikaripura have never seen such fan fare, media glare in the past. It is like a festival for them every day to watch both Yeddyurappa and Bangarappa campaign.
The residents say Yeddyurappa campaigned more extensively compared to Bangarappa. Bangarappa is yet to embark upon his door-to-door campaign while Yeddyurappa has already completed it.
However, with barely days remaining and campaigning coming to an end on May 14 as per the Election Commission regulations, both leaders have decided to use star and crowd power to woo the voters. Bangarappa roped in actress Jayapradha while Yeddyurappa utilized the services of cine star Sreenath.
Image: Narrow roads and pot holes greet you at Shikaripura
Also see: Political fortunes at stake in Silk City
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