Lokmat News Network
Aurangabad, May 16:
To register protest against the apathy of Maha Vikas Aghadi-led state government and Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) for pushing the citizens to face water scarcity, the BJP has announced to organise a ‘Handa Morcha’ on May 23.
The morcha, led by the leader of opposition (in state assembly) Devendra Fadnavis, will start from Paithan Gate at 4 pm and culminate at AMC headquarters (Town Hall).
While addressing the press conference, the union minister of state (MoS) for finance Bhagwat Karad said, “ The MVA led state government has performed the drama of reducing water tax in city, before the conduct of our morcha. On learning about the BJP’s plan of morcha, Shiv Sena office-bearers rushed to meet the guardian minister and requested him to reduce the water tax.”
Karad underlined, “ Sedition charges have been filed against an independent MP and MLA for reciting Hanuman Chalisa. On the same lines, the AIMIM leader Akbaroddin Owaisi and MP Imtiaz Jaleel should be booked for paying visit at Aurangzeb’s tomb.”
“We have to redo the process of renaming the district. The state government should complete all the process again and forward it to the Central Government. We all the ministers in union cabinet and MPs through the leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis will meet the Prime Minister and get the proposal approved. The former MP does not knew about the whole process,” Karad taunted.
City president Sanjay Kenekar said,” Shiv Sena took advantage of the delay in AMC elections. The Smart City Fund released by the Central Government has been misused.”
Vice president Basawraj Mangrule, former mayor Bhagwan Ghadamode, Jalinder Shendge and others were present on the occasion.
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Water project estimated escalated by Rs 400 crore
The MLA Atul Save said, “ The guardian minister has never conducted a meeting with public representatives regarding the new water supply scheme. It may be noted that the previous revision in water tax was done as a part of the yesteryear’s parallel pipeline project and we had opposed to it frequently.”
“ Of the 365 days in a year, the citizens are receiving water on 48 days only. Henceforth they should pay water tax of Rs 600 only. The state government has not contributed a single rupee in the new water supply scheme of Rs 1680 crore. The present works are underway with the funds granted by the Central Government only. It is due to the adamant attitude of the state government, the cost of the project has escalated from Rs 1680 crore to Rs 2,080 crore. Today, 25 ESRs are existing in the city. Instead of preferring to lay water pipelines, I could not understand why the focus is on constructing ESRs?” questioned the MLA.