YSRC government failed' to supply safe drinking water, TD promises free supply
VIJAYAWADA: Telugu Desam on Thursday promised to provide free, safe and clean drinking water to urban residents and said the YSR Congress and its government failed in this respect.
TD politburo member Kimidi Kala Venkata Rao said here that free drinking water, as promised in the TD election manifesto, is the right of every citizen. He expressed confidence the party would win the present polls to the municipalities and corporations.
Venkata Rao said contamination of drinking water resulted in the spread of a mysterious disease in Eluru in West Godavari district in December last. More than 700 people fell sick and were admitted to hospitals in Eluru alone. “Pesticides were found in drinking water, due to which around 2.38 lakh people from Eluru were affected,” he said.
Venkata Rao recalled that at least 50 people fell sick and one person died in Kurnool after consuming contaminated water which was a result of improper sanitation. Damaged pipelines resulted in the contamination of the drinking water, he said.
He alleged that major municipalities in Prakasam district, including Ongole, Giddalur, Markapur and Kanigiri, are staring at the face of a severe water crisis because of the state government’s negligence to clear the drinking water supply bills.
Rao recalled that the previous Chandrababu Naidu government spent more than Rs 1,449 crore through the JNNURM projects across 12 municipal corporations for supply of drinking water, maintaining the sewerage system, repairing roads and drains and for solid waste management. The TD government, he said, effectively utilized the funds from the 14th Finance Commission and other sources. “The TD government spent more than Rs 1,986 crore in various municipalities for people’s welfare,” he claimed.
Rao urged the people to teach a befitting lesson to the YSRC in the municipal elections for its government’s “utter failure” to supply people with safe drinking water.
