Drinking water crisis spills protest & blame game on ‘source' of issue

Time of India

a day ago

Raipur: Accusing the public health engineering department (PHE) and the administration for neglecting the plight of thousands of villagers struggling to access safe drinking water, Congress MLA Lakheshwar Baghel announced that he'll be going on an indefinite hunger strike from July 2 to protest the "deepening drinking water crisis in Bastar.
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The situation has quickly escalated into a political flashpoint, with state forest minister from Bastar Kedar Kashyap blaming the crisis on 'five years of Congress misrule.' His remarks have triggered a sharp response from MLA Baghel, who said that those (BJP) who were neck deep in corruption for 15 years shouldn't lecture Congress. In several villages across the Bastar Assembly constituency that covers more than ten-twelve villages, the 'Har Ghar Nal Se Jal' scheme remains only on paper, Baghel countered.
He said that the borewells have gone dry, new borewells are not being dug, and existing infrastructure lies defunct. The result- a daily crisis for families, particularly women and children, who walk long distances for water.
Lakheshwar Baghel said, "The ministers have no clue about what's happening in the hamlets of Bastar on what people are going through." Baghel squarely blamed the govt for its inaction and indifference, accusing it of allowing the problem to fester unchecked.
"We have given a memorandum related to water crisis over maintenance, and water connections in remote areas of the assembly constituency. The Jal Jeevan Mission stands still at least in this region.
The spots where the work was started has been stalled. I had earlier also warned of going on indefinite hunger strike and now I have decided to go for it on July 2," he said.
In response, minister Kedar Kashyap hit back, saying the roots of the crisis lie in the previous Congress misgovernance, adding: "Congress ensured that their own people remained without water.
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They sabotaged development. Was he asked not to open his mouth during Congress' regime? It's important to find who's mistaken, because without the source, the Congress installed borewells and water scheme." Baghel however, said that hunger strike is now his last resort to get the govt to act.
"Those who were neck-deep in corruption for 15 years should not lecture us. For the last one-and-a-half months, people are crying for water.
If BJP wants a debate, let's talk corruption face to face."
It remains to be seen if this boiling political pressure leads authorities to restore drinking water supply, or if it simply turns into another round of statements and blame games. Bastar, a tribal-dominated and forest-rich district, has long struggled with water scarcity, especially during the dry months. Many villages rely on borewells and hand pumps, many of which have dried up or become non-functional over the years, Baghel alleged.
Govt initiatives like 'Har Ghar Nal Se Jal' scheme, have largely failed to deliver in Bastar, he added.