Opposition Parties created a ruckus in the State Assembly over loss of crop due to rains leading to noisy walkout by the BSP and the Congress members while RlD members entered the well of the House after Akhilesh Yadav government refused to initiate a debate on this issue. The issue was raised just as the House assembled for the day on Tuesday when opposition created din demanding suspension of the question hour. They said this is a serious matter and a debate should be allowed on the plight of farmers.
leader of the opposition in Vidhan Sabha Swami Prasad Maurya said that this unseasoned rain has created havoc in villagers. The crops have been damaged and the government, it seems, is not concerned about the plights of the farmers. However, State Parliamentary Affairs minister Mohammad Azam Khan said that the government was serious though “It is a natural calamity and no political party is responsible for this rains.”
“The Government has asked the DMs of the affected districts to evaluate the loss and send the report to the government at the earliest. As soon as we will get the report compensation would be announced,” Azam Khan said. Not satisfied with the answer the BSP and Congress staged a walkout. As the members were trooping out Khan questioned whether the walkout was against the God.
In the question hour Minister for Rural Development Arvind Singh Gope said that the government was committed to provide piped drinking water in villages by 2022. “‘Ninety per cent of the villages would be covered by piped drinking water by 2022,’ he said. Replying to a question of Suresh Rana (BJP) Gope said the government was committed to provide hand pumps in the rural areas to end scarcity of drinking water. “‘As per the rules one hand pump is permissible in the population of 150 people but idistance between two pumps should be minimum 75 meters,” he said.
The Minister said India Mark -II hand pumps are being installed in a big way. Government had ordered re-boring of 100 handpumps in each blocks of the state. BJP members however said over 40 per cent of the hand pumps are out of order. Manish Asija (BJP) said that high fluoride and arsenic content in the underground water has claimed many lives in the state.