Naidu promises 'lasting solution' to twin cities' water problem

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, OCT. 6. The Chief Minister and TDP supremo, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, has said a major step toward lasting solution to the city's drinking water needs will be taken with additional supplies from Singur by year-end.

He was referring to the Rs. 150-crore HUDCO proposal to draw an additional 14 million gallons per day from the Singur reservoir by strengthening the existing system. Nineteen MGD more would be available to the City by December.(The extra 5 MGD, it is explained, is possible by eliminating transmission losses and other correctives).

Mr. Chandrababu Naidu was inaugurating a two-day special training session for leaders and workers of the Telugu Desam party's Hyderabad unit here on Saturday. The exercise is to put the party in proper shape for next year's elections to the Municipal Corporation.

He said the long-term plan to get Krishna water from the Akkampally reservoir would be ready in two or three years. This would help meet the City's needs totally.

In his 50-minute pep talk to the partymen, the Chief Minister catalogued initiatives and achievements to develop the Capital city over the past five years under his personal supervision. ``The twin cities, cynosure of visitors from other States and even some countries, will flower into a city on a par with the best in the world. I have no doubt,'' he said amidst cheers.

Much of the City's problems would have been solved if its drinking and drainage problems were taken care of. Accordingly, a Rs 54-crore plan would be taken up to address these concerns in 800 slums even as a Centrally-assisted project was under way to treat the Musi waters and develop its foreshore.

On the much-talked about MRTS (Multi-nodal Rail Transit System) in the City, he said a budgetary provision of Rs 40 crores was made and that tenders for the venture, co-promoted by the Government and the Railways with private participation, would be called in four to five months.

He talked about the steps to develop Hyderabad as an international tourist centre and hub of information and computer technology and the clean city and green city awards it was winning for three years now.

The Chief Minister's focus appeared more on developmental rather than on political aspects, though the occasion called for more thrust on the latter. It was not enough if these programmes were implemented. More important was to tell the people about it, because ``they are ultimate judges in a democracy,'' he said.

The party, he said, was stronger than ever in Hyderabad and barring ``the traditional seats'' (euphemism for the old city divisions where the Majlis holds the sway), it was going to sweep the corporation polls on the basis of the solid work it had done.

Underlining the role of the cadre, he said they would always remain dear to the party. The leadership would recognise worth and merit among them. In the on-going nominations to Government and organisational posts, he said it was not possible to accommodate each and everyone. More would be covered, if need be by rotation.

Functionaries from 7 Assembly seats -- Khairtabad, Secunderabad, Cantonment, Asifnagar, Sanatnagar, Karwan and Malakpet -- are attending the camp. The next batch on October 8 and 9 will cover the remaining 6 segments.

Mr. Teegala Krishna Reddy, president of the City unit, welcomed and Prof. C. Lakshmanna, convenor of the HRD wing, explained the features of the programme.

Messrs Lal Jan Basha, K. Srinivas, general secretaries, K. Vijayarama Rao, C. Krishna Yadav, N. Janardhan Reddy, T. Nageswara Rao, Ministers, Alladi P. Raja Kumar, MP, and other party leaders attended.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Widespread rain in State, tanks full
Next     : RTC unions harden stand