New Delhi: There is no immediate relief in sight for the drought-hit region of Bundelkhand in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh with the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government in the state refusing to accept the water wagons sent through the Indian railways as a relief measure from the Centre.
The train with ten water wagons had reached Jhansi on Thursday and was scheduled to reach Mahoba, one of the worst hit districts in the region. A similar relief measure was undertaken by the Railways in Maharashtra’s Latur district sending two water trains to Latur district which has seen severe drought conditions, similar to that in the Bundelkhand region.
However, the UP government does not find the situation as grave as that in Maharashtra.
“We have no Latur like problem here (Bundelkhand),” an official of the UP government reportedly said in a terse letter to the central government. “If we need water, then we will inform the railways,” the letter added.
Officials are reportedly miffed with the fact that the Centre chose to send the water train without asking the government for its requirements.
Around 40 villages of Mahoba are reeling under severe drought conditions and a heat wave. Officials, on the other hand, say a water train would be no different from the tankers which the state government has arranged for the villages from water drawn from government tube wells.
The UP government's rejection has drawn severe criticism from the ruling establishment.
"Bundelkhand is reeling under a severe crisis of drinking water. The water train sent for Mahoba and Jhansi has been refused by the UP government. By doing so, they have committed a sin and blasphemy against the thirsty people," said Union minister Uma Bharti, adding that the UP government should immediately utilise the water sent by the Centre for the people.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the severe drought and water crisis in Bundelkhand in New Delhi on May 7.
The Centre also held a meeting with lawmakers of Bundelkhand to discuss the drought scenario in the region.
