Drinking water and agriculture must take priority over construction in drought-hit Maharashtra, the NCP (SP) said on Sunday, demanding a halt to supplies for building projects and an increase in assistance for affected farmers to at least Rs 25,000 before Diwali.
The demands followed a review chaired by party president Sharad Pawar at the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in Mumbai. The state government has declared drought in 305 of Maharashtra’s 358 talukas, covering about 85 per cent of them.
Pawar sought assessments from party MPs, MLAs and other leaders on the situation, additional relief measures and preparations needed to address challenges in the coming months.
Speaking to reporters, NCP (SP) leaders Jitendra Awhad and Shashikant Shinde alleged that water allocation rules were being ignored and decisions on releases from dams were being taken under political pressure.
Awhad specifically demanded that water supplies to construction projects in Mumbai and Thane be stopped, arguing that the needs of residents and farmers should come before commercial interests.
“If builders do not get water for six months or a year, will they suffer losses worth crores of rupees? For the sake of builders’ profits, poor people are left without water even to wash utensils at home. This is not right. People must be taken care of first,” he said.
Shinde alleged that water distribution committees were being sidelined and called for allocation according to established rules, with drinking water given priority.
“The government must ensure water is distributed according to established rules. Given the severity of the drought, proper planning is essential for drinking water and agriculture. If water is wasted, the state government will be held responsible,” he said.
Calling the government’s announced assistance of Rs 5,000 per farmer inadequate, Shinde demanded that it be raised to at least Rs 25,000 and paid before Diwali.
He also sought cattle camps to provide fodder and care for livestock.
Shinde expressed concern over farmers facing harassment from microfinance companies and lenders recovering small loans despite state advisories against forced recovery during drought. He urged strict action against such lenders to prevent further distress.
Separately, NCP (SP) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto blamed the BJP for any losses Delhi traders might suffer because of the INDIA bloc’s proposed November 1 rally against claimed irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
In a statement, Crasto said the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) should ask the BJP-led central government to seek Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and restore the names of all eligible voters deleted from electoral rolls, rather than urge the Opposition to postpone its protest.
Claiming that 13 crore names had been deleted from voter lists across the country, Crasto accused the BJP of having “stolen” people’s voting rights and freedom of expression. Peaceful protests would not otherwise have been necessary, he said.
He also alleged that the BJP was speaking through traders because it was afraid to face the truth.
The CTI had urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to postpone the rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan until after November 10, warning that it could disrupt business worth Rs 10,000 crore during the peak Diwali shopping season.
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In a letter to Rahul Gandhi, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said the event could affect wholesale and retail markets around the venue when traders expected heavy customer footfall ahead of Dhanteras and Diwali.
Meanwhile, responding to speculation about a merger between the two NCP factions, Shinde said no decision had been made.
Asked about a delegation of the ruling NCP meeting chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to demand the finance portfolio, Awhad said: “We are opposition members without portfolios, and our work is to highlight the problems faced by the people.”