The Hindu : BJP to corner Govt. on water crisis

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 16, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad

BJP to corner Govt. on water crisis

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD Feb. 15. Expressing concern over the growing drinking water shortage, particularly in the rural areas, the State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party has said that it would raise the issues pertaining to drought relief measures taken up in the budget session of the Assembly commencing on Monday.

``The drinking water as well as the fodder situation is worsening by every passing day and the State is heading for an acute drinking water shortage. This has resulted due to the inadequate relief measures taken by the Government,'' the BJP floor leader in the Assembly, N. Indrasena Reddy, said.

Addressing a press conference on the eve of the Assembly session, the BJLP leader said the present situation would not have arisen had the programmes launched by the Government been implemented properly. He, however, evaded replies when asked whether the BJP felt that the Government had failed in taking up relief works. "Whether the Government has succeeded or failed will come out in the coming session. We only feel that the relief measures are inadequate,'' was all he said.

The BJLP leader said that the party would also raise the issues pertaining to growing incidents of violence by fundamentalist organisations in the State, the city in particular. "The ISI-sponsored terrorist organisations have made the State as their base next only to Jammu & Kashmir. This is amply proved by several incidents including the Mahabubnagar bus burning incident, the Bangalore Express derailment due to sabotage, attack on the Birla mandir and more recently, the nabbing of serial killers by the police. The BJP will question the Government about the action launched against such elements,'' he said.

Mr. Reddy was also critical of the Government on the power supply situation claiming that farmers were not getting the assured nine-hour supply. This apart, the low voltage problems, irregular supply and other lapses were also being witnessed in the rural areas. "The State also lost its quota from the NTPC supply due to the erratic policies followed by the Government,'' he said.

There were also lapses in the implementation of the Food-for-work programme wherein the labour were denied rice despite completing works in some areas while works were not being launched in the areas where rice stocks were available. Though the Central Government had provided adequate funds for relief works, the funds were not properly utilised and several lacunae in the utilisation of funds were coming forth, he said.

He said that the BJP would also raise issues pertaining to the drinking water supply in the twin cities, collection of taxes from temples and other related developments. "The Government is collecting Rs. 30 crores in the form of taxes from Hindu temples while the places of worship of other religions are exempted from it,'' he said.

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BJP to corner Govt. on water crisis