HOT SEAT - Bijoyshree Routray minister, revenue and disaster management 
 

Odisha has been hit by an unprecedented drought. What’s your observation as the departmental minister?

There has been a drought. More than 117 blocks have been hit by it.  It has happened because of scanty rainfall. In August, I had also said in the Assembly that a drought-like situation might emerge in the state. But, we should analyse the reasons properly. This is happening because of the patterns of climate change that are being felt worldwide. Earlier, we used to depend on monsoon rain. But, for the last five years, we depend on depression-triggered rains that are highly unpredictable. Monsoon is being influenced by El Nino (a climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean with a global impact on weather patterns) and the Madden-Julian Oscillation (a major fluctuation in tropical weather which is also impacting India). This time, El Nino has affected monsoon to a great extent.

The prevailing drought has taken its toll. About 141 people are said to have committed suicide. The Assembly is feeling the heat over the deaths.  

Farmers’ suicide is a debatable topic. District collectors’ reports have completely rejected it. The collectors must have prepared the reports after going through the ground realities and examining all the factors. Farmers have committed suicide, but one cannot link it to incurring agricultural loss.  According to the official report, farmers have committed suicide due to social and economic reasons and not for crop failure or debt burden. 

You agreed that there is a drought. Now, a demand has cropped up to declare the entire state as drought-hit…

The drought has not affected the entire state. Only a part of the state has been hit.  There are many areas, such as Bhadrak district, from where we get reports of bumper paddy production.

You may deny crop loss, but farmers have committed suicide. Even Congress has paraded the bereaved family members of the farmers, including their widows… 

The issue should be thoroughly inquired into. I cannot give my opinion on it.  Our government’s report does not tally with that of Congress.

But reports of farmers’ suicide have come from your district, Bhadrak, as well.

I don’t think so.

There are reports that you were not invited to the Sohela farmers’ convention, organised by BJD, fearing a public wrath on some of your remarks that angered the farming community… 

I have not made any remarks that would hurt the farmers’ community. On not going to Sohela, I had communicated to chief ministers’ office that doctors have advised me not to travel long distance because of my slipped disc injury. It should not be taken otherwise. 

Considering that erratic rainfall has become a regular phenomenon, should we go for a change in crop pattern and shift to crops other than paddy?

Keeping the 11 agro-climatic zones of the state into consideration, I have insisted several times that we should go for a change in the crop pattern.  We should go for hardier variety of crops that can withstand scanty rainfall. We must train the cultivators and change their mindset accordingly. We should develop cultivation in areas where much less water is needed. We will have to ensure that cultivation becomes a profitable venture. A co-ordinated effort should be made for this.

It is alleged that there is a lack of co-ordination among various departments...  

Inter-departmental co-ordination is there. But, it has to improve further. 

How will that be possible? 

We should meet more frequently and there must be a good relationship between the bureaucrats and the ministers.  The ideas from the ground level should reach the secretariat. Similarly, from the secretariat, it should go down to the ground level. It has to be done by the bureaucrats in consultation with the leadership. The 
bureaucrats should decide something that helps the cultivators in their distress. 

Don’t you feel that there is a gap between the ministers and the bureaucrats?

There may be some gap. We have learnt enough lessons. I hope it does not exist in future.

Last year, you courted controversy for suddenly losing control…

You are probably asking about the argument with a section of electronic media. I had just undergone an eye surgery. As a result, contact lenses were attached to my eyes. The flash of LED lights used to irritate my eyes.  I got irritated because of the light and not for the questions put forth by the journalist. Any one can ask any question to me and I am ready to answer all.

Can we assume that your tussle with the media is now over?

It has already been sorted out.  I told them “let bygone, be bygone”. As all of them are quite young... they should not take that incident to heart. They can come to my chamber at any moment and discuss any thing and know my views on any issue. We have to move forward leaving the past behind.

You also court controversy for your relationship with the bureaucracy...

There have been ups and downs in my political life. Similarly, in the administration, I had experiences of good and bad feelings. The working relationship between bureaucrats and politicians has to improve. Ministers feel as if they are going to the secretariat just to put their signature on the file, come back home and go on tours. Even if they are giving instructions, those are not being carried out. 

That means directions are not being carried out some times?

Not sometimes, but many times. As a minister, I should not cite an example. You have to find out how the directions are being given and why they are not being carried out. The gap is to 
be blamed for our present state of 
affairs.  

There are two sets of ministers — some do their work without grumbling and others act independently…

Those who want to do some thing good and new for the people have little opportunity. They also can’t vent their feelings. There is another set of ministers who are unable to communicate properly. That’s why we have no co-ordination in the council of ministers.

You may earn the wrath of the establishment for speaking from your heart…

I am a very independent person. I have my individual opinion on things. I have been taught by my illustrious parents to be fearless. 

Don’t you think the way you are expressing may cost your job?

I am not doing a job. I am here with a mission to do something for the society. I had earlier been asked to resign. Today also, I don’t mind if telling the truth costs me my office.

You were in news this year for living in a house constructed on government land that was allotted to your family for setting up a nursing home.

The question should be asked to the owner of the land. But I want to say that a lady (his wife) who has been running a charitable hospital for the last 35 years without taking a single penny from anyone should not be treated in this manner. The media, which should highlight the works of a good lady, is doing the opposite. 

A vigilance case was initiated against you in 2008 in connection with a scam involving a World Bank-funded health project. You had to resign for that. It must have been a setback…

That was a completely false allegation. The vigilance department has already given me a clean chit. At that time, the chief secretary had failed to produce the papers that vigilance had sought. The chief secretary regretted for this even in the court and said that it happened by mistake.  I insisted that he should offer a public apology. However, that is yet to happen.

You were also in the eye of a storm following the land scam at Gangapatna. Some officials of your department were also arrested… 

I had not made any controversial statement on the issue. I had only expressed whatever was reported to me by the department. Some government land and forestland were taken into possession by some people.  However, it has almost been resolved now.

Don’t you feel that followers of Biju Patnaik have been sidelined in the party?

Much water has flown down the Mahanadi since 1997 when Biju babu died. People who never met and interacted with Biju babu are now in the forefront. This is natural. Many people have become old. Many people have also retired from politics.  Many people are left behind. I can say that time has sidelined them.

The name of your father the late Nilamani Routray, who was a former chief minister, was found missing from the government’s official website. How did this happen? 

It was probably a mistake. The information and public relations department, or whichever department has done it, will rectify it soon.