Congress,CPM,RJD concerned over Andaman water crisis

Port Blair, May 29 (UNI) Showing displeasure over severe water crisis in remote Andaman Islands some of political parties have started criticising the administration.

Political parties were unhappy over poor water management techniques of local administration, which resulted in scarcity of water in various places of South Andaman. Port Blair city is getting water once in five days, that too just for half-an-hour.

''Just six days water supply a month is a nightmare for islanders. This is high time for the administration to take proper step to minimise water shortage in coming years,'' K Ganeshan, Chief Spokesperson of Congress unit in Andaman told UNI today.

The Congress demanded to officially declare drought in Andamans so that people of Andaman and Nicobar Islands could get some help from Mainland India.

''At least for time being stop tourism in these islands,'' the Congress Spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) and RJD has also expressed concern over the water crisis and stretching the period of curtailment of drinking water.

In a letter to the Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Secretary of CPI(M) in Andaman K G Das wondered how some hoteliers as also a section of people were the least affected.

''We demand an investigation into this aspect. Water crisis is giving unprecedented sufferings to islanders,'' Das added.

Meanwhile, State President of Rashtriya Janta Dal(RJD) P R Ganeshan has suggested to the administration to fetch water from Rutland Island for supplying to the residents through the water tenders of PBMC as was done a few years ago.

''Rutland has innumerable perennial sources of water, which should be exploited by the administration during the time of crisis,'' he added.

Meanwhile, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has directed the Port Blair Municipal council to supply drinking water to people through water tankers, whereever and whenever required. The local administration has also started help line. According to the administration due to less rainfall in the catchment area of Dhanikhari Dam, the lone water reservoir of South Andaman last and this year, these islands were facing water scarcity.

UNI