Odisha Assembly Discusses Water Crisis Issue

BHUBANESWAR: After a day wash out, the Odisha assembly backed to normalcy on Wednesday as the members of the house discussed on water crisis issue in the state.

The opposition members through an adjournment motion highlighted the failure of BJD government in ensuring adequate drinking water facility to people in both urban and rural areas during summer.

Participating in the motion, Congress chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati said the shortage of water has turned into a grave situation in the state while the state government has sat pretty.

“The state government has failed to provide potable water to people living in areas where the ground water is saline affected or iron and fluoride contaminated,” said Bahinipati.

He said though over 1.87 lakh tube wells have been dug, many of these are lying defunct.

BJP MLA KV Singhdeo said that the state government is silent to the nexus between officials and contractors which is the main cause of improper implementation of key government projects.

However, both Housing and Urban Development Minister Pushpendra Singh Deo and Rural Development Minister Badri Narayan Patra said that the government is equally concerned about the issue expressed by the opposition.

UD minister said the government is supplying 880 million liter water in urban areas against the requirement of 949 million liter water.

He said the state government has identified 24 urban areas facing water scarcity and is taking all possible measures to provide adequate drinking water to people in the areas.