Piplia Mandi (Madhya Pradesh): Congress workers staged an unusual protest on Tuesday, offering floral tributes to water being wasted from a leaking drinking water pipeline between Gudbheli and Lunahera Phanta.
The leak has remained unrepaired for 10 days despite complaints. City Congress Committee workers laid wreaths at the leakage site and observed a two-minute silence to protest what they called negligence.
District Congress general secretary Anil Sharma said scanty rainfall and rising heat had reduced water levels in wells and reservoirs, leaving farmers worried about irrigation for Rabi crops, particularly opium.
While farmers were conserving water through sprinklers for onions, garlic and other crops, he alleged that millions of gallons were being wasted through the pipeline leak.
Sharma demanded an impartial probe into the quality of pipeline construction and action against those responsible.
Former mandal president Dinesh Gupta said failure to repair the leak despite complaints amounted to serious negligence and demanded immediate action.
Chambal water sought for reservoirs
Sharma and Congress leader Babukha Mewati demanded that major reservoirs be filled with Chambal water and Malhargarh tehsil be declared drought-hit.
They said adequate irrigation water was essential for the coming Rabi season.
A Congress delegation will soon meet collector Divyank Singh over the demands. City Congress president Kishore Uniyara and other party workers attended the protest.
