An “uninvited” water train for the parched Bundelkhand region arriving at Jhansi on Thursday has threatened to snowball into a controversy between the Centre and the State Government ahead of the meeting of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday on the drought situation in the State. The battle has already reached the social media sites.
The Uttar Pradesh Government turned down the Centre’s offer to send a water train to the State’s drought-hit Bundelkhand region, saying the water crisis situation there was not as serious as in latur district of Maharashtra.
The UP Government, however, requested the Centre to provide it 10,000 water tankers for distributing water in the region. “UPCM @Yadavakhilesh requests GOI for 10,000 road tankers to distribute water in Bundelkhand from available water resources around the region (sic),” the CM’s office tweeted.
“We do not have any requirement to bring water by train...We have made arrangements for providing water...Wherever tankers are required, an assessment has been made and tankers have been bought,” said Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan.
“There is no such crisis (that we need) to bring water from outside,” he said, adding handpumps had been rebored and ponds redug for ensuring water to the people of these areas. The drought-affected Bundelkhand region is spread across 13 districts of UP and Madhya Pradesh.
The Centre dispatched the water train to Mahoba following the request by BJP MP from Hamirpur Pushpendra Singh Chandel. He had met Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and had requested the latter to send a water train to his constituency Hamirpur-Mahoba, which was facing a serious water crisis due to drought.
The Prime Minister has invited the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka here on Saturday for discussions on drought and water-scarcity situation which has hit these States badly. Modi will take stock of the situation with regard to drought and water scarcity that these States are facing, they said. UP, Maharashtra and Karnataka are worst hit by the twin problems.
Interestingly, a 10-wagon water train, which already arrived in Jhansi, has been kept in the railway yard and water was being filled in the coaches for its forward journey to Mahoba. Railway Board Member (Traffic) Md Jamshed said that reports and reactions suggesting that train is without water are completely incorrect. “The water train is ready at Jhansi station,” Jamshed said on the sidelines of a function at Rail Bhawan.
Refusal of the State to accept water evoked sharp reaction from the Centre with Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti telling the Akhilesh Yadav Government to shed “arrogance” for the sake of the needy people.
“I request the Uttar Pradesh Government not to be arrogant. Either you give water to the people or welcome the step taken by the Government of India... People are thirsty. People, animals, birds are dying,” Uma said outside Parliament House while talking to media.
Samajwadi Party leader and PWD Minister Shivpal Yadav said in Kanpur: “We do not need water from outside... When we will need water, we will ask for it... Where will we store it if it comes through train like thisIJ”
BSP supremo and former UP Chief Minister Mayawati said if the State Government has actually refused to accept the water train sent by the Centre, then it becomes the moral responsibility of the SP Government to provide water to the people of Bundelkhand.
Former Uttar Pradesh Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi said that there is sufficient water in Bundelkhand but due to lack of proper management, it is not reaching the people.