Sambhajinagar citizens fume at dy CM’s silence on water woes

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Exactly a year after then Leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis held a handa morcha to highlight the water woes of the city, residents allege that leaders have gone silent after coming to power.Fadnavis had held the march on May 23 last year. Residents also allege the silence of local MLAs of the Shiv Sena (Shinde) over the issue and claim that leaders are vocal about non-issues.Rahul Vaidya, a resident of Satara area said that several people, mostly youngsters, are leaving the city due to the water crisis. “Despite this elected representatives and leaders pay no attention to this,” he said. Water supply in the city is staggered with areas of the old city getting water only once in four days while many areas of Satara-Deolai do not have tap water connections.Pooja Pawar, a resident of Deolai area, said the MLAs, MPs and bureaucrats went overboard to ensure that the city was sparkling for the G20 meeting. “The entire system was on its toes to please a small group of foreign guests. On the other hand, lakhs of residents yearning for water are left in the lurch for years,” she said. Maharashtra Cooperation Minister and local BJP MLA, Atul Save said Fadnavis was personally taking a periodic review of the new water project. “A set of issues is associated with the private contractor roped in for the project. We are prevailing upon him and the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran so that things can be expedited. Both the state and Centre have been extending all possible financial and other support for the project,” he said.Aurangabad district Guardian Minister Sandipan Bhumare could not be reached for comment. Local MLA Sanjay Shirsath from Shinde camp did not respond to phone call and text message.