Mumbai, Oct 25 The NCP (SP) on Sunday appealed to the Maharashtra government to halt water supply to construction projects in view of the drought situation and raise financial aid for affected farmers to Rs 25,000 before Diwali.
It also claimed that the BJP would be responsible if traders in Delhi incur losses due to the Opposition INDIA bloc’s rally in the national capital on November 1 against alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Speaking to reporters, NCP (SP) leaders Jitendra Awhad and Shashikant Shinde alleged that water allocation rules were being ignored and decisions on dam water releases were being made under political pressure.
NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar chaired the party’s core committee meeting at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre here and reviewed the drought situation in Maharashtra, where the government has declared a drought in 305 of 358 talukas, making up 85 per cent of talukas in the state.
Pawar took stock of the situation from the NCP (SP) MPs, MLAs and other leaders and discussed additional measures needed to address the drought, the challenges likely to arise in the coming months and the planning required to tackle them.
Demanding an immediate halt to water allocation for builder projects, Awhad said priority must be given to ordinary citizens and farmers over commercial interests.
“If builders do not get water for six months or a year, will they suffer losses worth crores of rupees? For the sake of builders’ profits, poor people are left without water even to wash utensils at home. This is not right. People must be taken care of first,” he said, specifically demanding a halt to water supply for construction in Mumbai and Thane.
Shinde alleged that water distribution committees were being sidelined and dam water release decisions were being taken under political pressure.
“The government must ensure water is distributed according to established rules. Given the severity of the drought, proper planning is essential for drinking water and agriculture. If water is wasted, the state government will be held responsible,” he warned, insisting that drinking water needs be prioritised.
Terming the relief of Rs 5,000 per farmer announced by the state government as inadequate, Shinde demanded that the payout be hiked to at least Rs 25,000 and disbursed before Diwali.
He also appealed for the setting up of cattle camps to ensure fodder and care for livestock.
Shinde further expressed concern over the harassment of farmers by microfinance companies and lenders recovering small loans despite state advisories against forced recovery during drought. He urged strict action against such lenders to prevent further distress to farmers.
NCP (SP) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto also targeted the BJP, claiming it would be responsible for the losses traders in Delhi may incur due to the INDIA bloc’s proposed rally on November 1.
The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) should ask the BJP-led central government to seek the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and restore the names of all eligible voters deleted from electoral rolls, instead of asking the INDIA bloc to postpone the rally, he said in a statement.
Claiming that 13 crore names had been deleted from voter lists (in the country), Crasto alleged that the BJP had “stolen” people’s right to vote and freedom of expression, adding that peaceful protests would not have been necessary otherwise.
He also alleged that the BJP was speaking through traders because it was afraid to face the truth.
The CTI has urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to postpone the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan until after November 10, warning that it could disrupt business worth Rs 10,000 crore during the peak Diwali shopping season.
In a letter to Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said the rally could affect wholesale and retail markets around Ramlila Maidan at a time when traders expect heavy customer footfall ahead of Dhanteras and Diwali.
Meanwhile, on the speculation of a merger between the two NCP factions, Shinde said no decision had been made on the issue.
Asked about a delegation of the ruling NCP meeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to demand the finance portfolio, Awhad said, “We are opposition members without portfolios, and our work is to highlight the problems faced by the people.
(PTI News)
