‘Halol has no drainage system since Independence’

He added: “The project might have been approved,but due to the Model Code of Conduct being in force,the permission and the grant is still pending.”

He added that earlier the Centre had given funds to bring waters of the Narmada Canal to the town.

Halol lies in the middle of the industrial hub of Panchmahals district spanning Halol and neighbouring Kalol. It has a population of over 50,000.

Some of the areas on the outskirts that has the General Motors,other industries and the World Heritage Site of Pavagadh,have their own water drainage facility. But the absence of proper gutter lines in Halol has led to floods several times.

Halol Municipal Corporation officials are now running from pillar to post in Gandhinagar awaiting approval by the state government for a drainage system for the town.

Better roads and water supply lines have been constructed over the last couple of years under various schemes,but development work has been at a snails’ pace at some areas such as the 1,000-family strong Muslim-dominated Ward no 3. Congress Councillor Saleem Rahmu Meer has alleged that vote-bank politics has hampered development work for the last 15 years here.

He ended his two-day hunger strike on Sunday after Shah and other office bearers gave him a written word that the sanitary and water supply lines would be fixed.

Meer said: “Ward no 3 is Muslim dominated and we traditionally vote for the Congress. For the last 15 years,our roads have been like this. Here families have to fight for a bucket of water.” He added: “Grants come and go but Ward no 3 gets nothing. They had to take notice after we went on a hunger strike. They have promised that work will begin in 15 days,but I know that after the start of the monsoons,everything will go back to where it is.”

Elsewhere,Shah blamed the contractor for the conditions in Ward no 3. He said: “We do not have vote-bank politics here. It was the contractor who did not carry out the work. We have given the Ward no 3 councillors in writing that road construction work will begin immediately. Drainage is a problem for entire Halol and it will take time. Water supply will also be taken care of.”