Andaman MP demands all-party meeting on water crisis

Port Blair, May 31 (UNI) Lone MP from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Manoranjan Bhakta, has urged the local administration to hold an all-party meeting to solve the issue of drinking water scarcity.

Mr Bhakta expressing concern over the heavy curtailment of water supply in South Andaman appreciated the people for being patient and not getting panicky.

The island's administration had recently decided to stop water supply through pipelines from June 6 due to low gravity pressure in Dhanikhari Dam, the lone water reservoir in South Andaman.

The people of the region would be supplied water only through tankers on head count basis from June 6, under the supervision of politicians, revenue officials and armed police personnel to prevent riots.

Mr Bhakta,shocked over the administration's decision, said, ''I feel that the crisis should have been tackled with the involvement of various political leaders, but the administration has tried to deal with it single-handedly.'' The MP also referred to the meeting of the Home Ministry Advisory Committee (HMAC) held in December 2006 at New Delhi and said the public representatives from this union territory, who were the members of this committee, had raised the issue of drinking water shortage.

He alleged that the home minister had issued some directives for the augmentation of drinking water supply and implementation of some major projects, which were not taken up properly.

Mr Bhakta also alleged that the public representatives were not informed about the action taken by the administration.

Meanwhile, the CPI(M) yesterday held a demonstration in front of the Port Blair Municipal Council building and condemned the administration for the water crisis.

UNI