MLA threatens Raje with NH blockade for water project

Addressing a press conference here, Nagar said the Government was deliberately delaying the laying of pipelines and construction of tanks because the project was sanctioned by the Ashok Gehlot Government. “The project was first sanctioned in September 2003. It was shelved after the BJP came to power in December 2003. After much debate and protests, the BJP inaugurated the project 13 months back though the Congress Government had already held a stone-laying ceremony. But, till date no tenders have been invited,” said Nagar.

Nagar said if work does not begin by August 8, he along with 50,000 people from the affected villages would block NH-11. “Prior to that, we will also hold protests and submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister. If all that fails, we will be compelled to hit the streets,” he said.

The Rs 283.77-crore project will provide clean drinking water from the Bisalpur Dam to villages and towns of Jaipur, Nagaur and Tonk districts. These areas face now have brackish water with heavy fluoride content.

During the inauguration, Raje had assured that the first phase will be completed by March 2008, and the supply of water to 417 villages would begin. The project is expected to cover 1,516 villages with a population close to 40 lakhs.

“Clean water is the need of the day. These districts are dry because of very little rainfall, and the residents here have no choice but to use the fluoride water leading to health problems. It is not that we are demanding a new project, we are just asking the Government to start work already sanctioned,” the MLA said.