Water for farmers, not Pune city: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that guardian minister and deputy chief minister, Ajit Pawar has diverted more water for agriculture to woo voters in the zilla parishad elections.

The party has announced ward-wise agitations all over the city against the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the water cut.
The BJP activists staged a ‘matki phod andolan’ (agitation involving breaking of pots) at Sinchan Bhavan on Friday.

The party will hold demonstrations in all wards of the city until the people get sufficient water. This was announced by city BJP chief, Vikas Mathkari and MLA, Girish Bapat during the agitation.

Bapat alleged that on Pawar’s orders more water was released for agriculture by the irrigation department. “There are proper norms in place about how much water is to be provided for what purpose from the dams. But more water than the allocated quota was released for farming which has led to water scarcity. Water for drinking is the first priority. But this fact was overlooked by the department on the instructions of Pawar,” Bapat alleged.

He maintained that the NCP was wreaking vengeance on citizens because the city did not give them a total majority in the civic elections.

Mathkari spoke in support of Bapat’s allegations. He asked why there was a shortage of water at the beginning of summer when the irrigation department had stated there was excess rain this year.

“The NCP tried to woo voters by making promises of 24-hour water supply. But as soon as the elections are over, water cuts have started. The same thing happened with power. The city is also facing power cuts now,” said Mathkari.

Both leaders said the BJP will take to the streets to fight for water. The wings of the BJP in various areas will agitate until people get enough water supply. They believed the city was being deprived of its share though there was sufficient water, just because the NCP preferred to give it to farmers.