Congress stages walkout over sewerage, water supply

Saturday, 21/03/2015

http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

JAKHAR’S CLAIM : State govt kept people in dark on withdrawal of central scheme

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Congress on Friday staged a walkout in the state assembly in protest against the SAD-BJP government for “keeping the people in the dark” on laying of sewerage, water supply and sewage treatment plants (STPs) in around 25 towns, though the Centre had withdrawn the scheme under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

Opposition leader Sunil Jakhar, during the question hour, asked local bodies minister Anil Joshi about the number of towns in which deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal had laid the foundation stones of projects for laying sewerage, water supply and STPs in February and March 2014, and when these projects would start.

Joshi replied that the deputy chief minister laid the foundation stones in 21 towns; but, the Centre had not released funds. Jakhar said the minister was misleading the House. He said though the Centre had cancelled the scheme on June 10, 2014, the Punjab government had mentioned in its budget presented on July 16 last year that the Centre would provide ` 827 crore to Punjab as its share to complete these projects.

Though Joshi assured the House that the projects would be completed by 2017, Jakhar was not convinced and Congress began raising slogans against the SAD-BJP government for “misleading the House” and staged a walkout.

Later, Jakhar said the Centre had withdrawn the scheme under the JNNURM on June 10 last year. Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal met the union minister on June 19, demanding the release of money. Despite the Centre not acceding to the Punjab government’s request, the SAD-BJP government put it in its budget presented in July 2014, which was misleading, Jakhar said. JAKHAR SEEKS EXTENSION OF SESSION

During the question hour, when the Speaker granted extension to two questions by Congress legislators Aruna Chaudhary and Harchand Kaur, CLP leader Sunil Jakhar objected. “What is the rush? Why can’t we extend the duration of the assembly session to discuss important issues on the floor of the House?” Jakhar asked.

CONTAMINATION OF GHAGGAR

Congress MLA Ajit Inder Singh Mofar on Friday expressed concern about the contamination of the Ghaggar, and sought the state government’s response about the steps being taken to remove the pollutants.

Mofar said once chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had even claimed that with the corrective steps, one day the former could even drink the river water. “However, all these assurances have proved hollow.”

Badal told the House that the villages of Punjab were not the only ones responsible for discharging effluents into the river but also a large number of Haryana towns did this.