Cong stages walkout over min’s reply on delay in work of STPs

Jaipur: Congress MLAs, upset with the reply of UDH Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra on the question related to delays in the completion of work on sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the state, staged a walkout in the Assembly Friday. Kharra listed flaws in tenders issued during the previous Cong govt.
Opposition MLAs objected to it, prompting Speaker Vasudev Devnani to call for the next question. Parliamentary affairs minister Jogaram Patel said that it was condemnable that Congress MLAs walked out when they did not get a favourable answer. BSP MLA Manoj also objected, saying that their uproar and walkout were wasting their time. Earlier, deputy leader of Opposition Ramkesh Meena said that entire cities were dug up. "Work on sewage treatment plants is incomplete in cities. When will these be completed?" he asked. Kharra, listing flaws in the tenders issued during the previous govt, said that during the previous Cong govt, many sewerage projects were undertaken. "However, operation and management requirements were not met. Sewer pipelines were laid, but the inlet and outlet levels were not properly determined. The inlet was lowered and the outlet was raised. Efforts were made to correct this mistake," he said. Opposition MLAs objected to the minister's answer, and the Speaker called for the next question. Angry Congress MLAs then walked out of the House. Meanwhile, Kharra said that many cities in the state did not meet the criteria for establishing sewerage treatment plants. He said that comprehensive wastewater management work would be carried out in 296 cities, including Jahazpur, under the 2025-26 budget announcement. Kharra said that the govt intended to operate sewage treatment plants on the PPP model. Kharra assured that wastewater management work would be carried out in all cities as soon as approval was received from the finance department.