Bhopal: Taking serious note of acute drinking water crisis in Bundelkhand region, Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh has asked the Union minister Uma Bharati to seek expenditure details of the funds allocated by Central government under Bundelkhand package. The Congress leader alleged that the state government failed to take any concrete step to mitigate water shortage in the region despite receiving huge amount from the Centre.
In an open letter to the Union minister, the Congress leader stated that villagers of Bundelkhand region were grappling with water crisis and were forced to travel to far off places to fetch drinking water. It is shameful for Shivraj Singh’s government as villagers of the region are forced to bring water from Uttar Pradesh, said LoP.
Singh in his letter has asked Bharti, the union minister for drinking water, to inquire from the state government about the amount spent on ensuring drinking water in the region. Speaking about the other parts of the state, the Congress leader claimed that that over 23000 villages of 33 districts were facing severe drinking water crisis.
He said it is imperative for Bharati, being a Union minister for drinking water and a native of Bundelkhand, to be aware of the state of affairs in the state and Bundelkhand, as far as drinking water is concerned. Singh said that the Union minister would be sharing the dais with the Chief Minister in a programme in the state capital on May 12.
Quoting the report of Bundelkhand Jal Manch, Singh said that 70 to 90 per cent wells have dried up while 75 per cent hand pumps were non-operational in the region. He claimed that the residents of village Ataria under Tikamgarh district were fetching water from village Pathrai, which is under Uttar Pradesh Janpad.
Singh said that the Chief Minister during a convention in Khajuraho in 2017, had announced earmarking of lakes in Sagar division, tagging of land for developing new lakes in villages, and construction of check-dams and stop-dam but nothing concrete was sone Singh quipped when the government was going to do so much in Bundelkhand then what had happened to the money received under Bundelkhand package.
Singh claimed that the same scenario applies on other parts of the state. The supply of drinking water in rural and urban areas is in dire straits, including the state capital, claimed Singh. Despite spending Rs 843 crore in two years, there are 166 urban civic bodies where water supply is being carried out on alternate days. Singh said, if the government, after remaining 15 years in power, was not able to ensure water supply to its people then claim of the government of the state being a developed one, is false.
