MUMBAI, November 17: The Gorai islands may finally be supplied piped water, elusive to them since Independence, said BJP MP Ram Naik today. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and state water commissioner have been directed to implement a water supply scheme for the island ``at whatever cost'' and forward a proposal to that extent at the earliest.The matter had come up for discussion in the state MPs' meet with the Chief Minister today, where Joshi reportedly issued the orders. At a press conference, Naik said his other objections to the construction of the world's tallest pagoda by the Global Vipassana Foundation in a `No Development Zone' remain. Talking about the issues he plans to take up in the forthcoming Parliamentary session from November 19, he said he would raise the issue of the Mumbai Rail Development Corporation (MRDC). ``We do not exactly know what the MOU signed between the state government and Railways says, but unless a decision is taken on a one-year-old proposal to develop railway land in the city limits, there can be no development on the MRDC,'' he said.The present MOU signed by the state government on MRDC does include a clause for the development of railway stations and lands for commercial purposes. Naik objected to the levy of cess on Mumbai passengers. ``Profits on the suburban sector for the last year alone was to the tune of Rs 87 crore. There is no reason why a cess has to be levied on the passengers,'' he observed.As far as the clause for spending one-third of the total revenue generated thus for the rest of the country, Naik said he had no objection, provided the demands of the city's suburban railway projects are met with first.As convener of the Study Group of Suburban Railways, Naik said the committee's report will be presented to Parliament during the session. He criticised the railway ministry's inaction in sanctioning a project for quadrupling the Borivli-Virar lines.Naik, who is also the chief whip of the BJP parliamentary party, announced that the party would press for an immediate discussion on the Jain Commission report, the recall of Uttar Pradesh Governor Romesh Bhandari for the UP fiasco and attempted misuse of article 356 and the long pending Women's Reservation Bill.
