Rally under fire,BSP pays for services on hire

In a statement on Sunday,party general secretary Babu Singh Kushwaha said the party will pay for “all basic services” it had asked for.

The role of the administration in such programmes is laid down and “on the demand of organisers,the administration makes these arrangements”,he added,while asking the SP and other parties making the accusations to look at their own past records.

Facilities availed of by BSP and related payments

* ELECTRICITY: At Smriti Upvan,spread over 80 acres,arrangements have been made for the stay of over 30,000 party workers expected to arrive from across the country. More than a dozen huge tents have been erected by BSP-hired contractors. They have all taken temporary connections from the Lucknow Electric Supply Administration (LESA) to operate lights and fans.

One of the contractors said they had been issued clear instructions by the BSP to not use illegal power connections. “I have paid money in advance for four days at the rate of Rs 12,000 for 10 KW of power,” said the contractor.

Lesa Chief Engineer Shakti Singh said,“At Smriti Upvan,temporary connections have been provided to caterers after receiving the usual fees.” LESA provides similar temporary connections for other private programmes,he added.

There is,however,no clarity on who will pay for the illumination of memorials,roundabouts and thoro–ughfares,all of which are now covered in blue lights. Singh said the charges would be added to the monthly power bills of the owners,be it “PWD or Nagar Nigam”.

Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) secretary Shobh Nath Bind said they had illuminated all the memorials and 15 crossings in Lucknow. Other crossings and parks have been beautified by different agencies. “All bills related to various works done by the LDA will be sent to the BSP after the rally,” Bind said.

Municipal Commissioner S K Singh said the BSP will make the payments,while adding: “Our job is to maintain these places.”

* BUSES: The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has provided over 2,000 buses to ferry BSP workers to Lucknow and back to their native places. Even as Chief General Manager (Operations) P K Srivastava refused to discuss the matter,UPSRTC Regional Manager in Lucknow S K Bannerjee said: “Lucknow region has given out 137 buses and charged in advance Rs 11,800 for each bus.”

While Lucknow buses have been booked for 24 hours,those from other districts have been booked for up to 48 hours.

* SPACE: LDA vice-chairman Mukesh Kumar Meshram said the BSP is being charged Rs 50,000 per day for the use of Smriti Upwan and that the “payment was made in advance at the time of booking”.

In 2008,the LDA board had decided to charge for public functions organised at Smriti Upwan. The LDA does not charge money for Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan,where the rally will be held on Monday.

* BASIC AMENITIES: The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has made over 3,100 temporary toilets and bathrooms inside Smriti Upvan and Omaxe city near Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan at a cost of Rs 3 crore. Municipal Commissioner S K Singh said,“BSP will make the payments after the rally.” Sanitation work is,however,being done free of cost as it is part of the civic body’s normal work.  Similarly,the Lucknow Jal Sansthan is making arrangements for water free of cost.

“We charge between Rs 600 and 800 per tanker for a private programme. But here we are not charging any money,” said Raghvendra Kumar,secretary,Jal Sansthan. He said at least 40 tankers are being sent to Smriti Upvan every day.