In continuation of the showdown between the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government, the Railways on Friday started filling up the 10-wagon water-train it offered as aid to the parched Bundelkhand. The Akhilesh Yadav government, however, has outright rejected the Centre’s offer saying it required more tankers to distribute water and not a water-train.
The empty train, with a capacity of 5 lakh litres, has been stranded at a rail yard in Jhansi since Wednesday, with railway officials clueless about its fate or destination. It was scheduled to reach Mahoba district by May 6 (today). “At Jhansi station water filling in 10 tank wagons has started, expected to be filled up by evening,” Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted. The State government's response is awaited.
Politics over drought has been raging on in UP since the Centre offered the State a water-train for Bundelkhand. The SP government, however, on Thursday claimed that it has sufficient supply of water in the parched region, and it has deployed more than 400 tankers for the purpose.
It’s rejection of the Centre’s aid triggered a war of words with parties accusing each other of playing politics over water. SP cabinet Minister Rajendra Chaudhary compared the Centre’s proposal to provide a water-train to staging a “drama,” while Union Water Resources Minister and Jhansi MP Uma Bharti in a letter to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav described his decision to refuse Centre aid akin to showing arrogance, in view of the grave water-scarcity.
Mr. Yadav responded to Ms Bharti through a letter of his own and requested 10,000 tankers for Bundelkhand. Mr. Yadav said the need for a water-train emerges only when all sources of water have been exhausted and water needs to be supplied from far. Since Bundelkhand’s reservoirs still have adequate water supply, the region’s urgent requirement is of tankers. If in future, the State requires a water-train, it would request the Centre for it, he said. Mr. Yadav is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 7 to discuss the drought in Bundelkhand.
Amid the tussle, Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has said his government would “not play politics over water” and was willing to help the States in any way it could. “Bundelkhand is suffering water shortage. We are working on supplying water through trains, putting logistics in place to help our brethren,” Mr. Prabhu had earlier tweeted on Wednesday.
However, the SP ministers and its officials argued the State does not need the ‘water-train’ and contended that it had made no such demand from the Centre. UP Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan said the State had reviewed the situation and found that it did not need water through trains. “We are providing water through tankers. If at all we need anything, we require more tankers. If we need any assistance from the Centre, we will inform them,” he said.
State PWD minister Shivpal Singh Yadav cited storage problems for rejecting the water-train.
“As of now, we do not require any water. There is no shortage of water. Now that they have sent the train, where will all this be kept? They should have also arranged a place to store it,” the cabinet minister said.
Chitrakoot Divisional Commissioner Venkateshwarlu said Mahoba district had not made demand for a water-train.
Environment activist Ashish Sagar said the “ego tussle and politics” over the drought would hurt the morale of those hit by the crisis. “Even if the State claims to have enough water, the water train could have been used to fill the hundreds of dry ponds and wells in the region,” Mr. Sagar pointed out. BJP State President Keshav Prasad Maurya urged the SP government to "rise above politics" on water and "provide solutions" to the crisis.
The Centre-State tussle comes as the Samajwadi Party government was pushed on the back foot by heavy criticism over the alleged starvation death of a Dalit man in drought-hit Banda on Wednesday. While the State has ordered a probe into the “unusual circumstances” that led to the man's death, Mr. Yadav on late Wednesday evening announced Rs 5 lakh as ex gratia compensation to the kin of the deceased Nathu Prasad.
Mr. Yadav also convened a review meeting with senior officials on Thursday evening and ordered them to distribute drought relief material on a war footing. He warned the district magistrates that they would be held directly responsible in case of any starvation death. Since then, the State government has gone overboard on highlighting on social media the measures taken by it to tackle the water-crisis.
