Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB)
Mangaluru, Apr 12: The district committee of BJP on Wednesday April 12 staged a protest in front of Mangaluru City Corporation regarding scarcity of drinking water in the city. The protestors lined up buckets and pots in front of a model in the shape of tap to drive home their point.
Addressing the protesters, former MLA and senior BJP leader M Monappa Bhandary said, "As per the officials of MCC, there is enough water at Thumbay vented dam, but the mayor is saying there is shortage of water. The MCC has created an artificial shortage of water in the city. After assuring availability of water for people through rationing, the mayor is now playing politics with people's lives.
"Corporators from her party are saying that she is taking decisions without consulting them. People in the city are suffering due to Congress' internal politics. While the public is begging for water, mayor Kavita Sanil is busy imposing new taxes on people.
"Senior Congress leader Janardhan Poojary is busy criticising the central government. He is not bothered about people of Mangaluru. He does not even know what is going on here. If he is with the people, he should tell the mayor to release water immediately," he added.
Former state minister and BJP leader B Nagaraj Shetty criticised the MCC administration and Congress for their 'autocratic' management of MCC. "Money talks in MCC. Mayor is supporting the water tank mafia and helping them earn more money. Thumbay dam was BJP's brainchild with the main purpose of providing water daily during summer. It is a known fact that there is sufficient water in the dam. But the mayor along with her team are spreading rumours of water scarcity. We will continue our fight till people get water everyday," he said.
Earlier, the protesters came to MCC premises with a procession from PVS to Lalbhag junction. Sathish Prabhu and Vedavyasa Kamath led the procession.
Former MLA Yogish Bhat, MCC opposition leader Ganesh Hosabettu, president of BJP Mangaluru north constituency Y Bharath Shetty, leaders Gladwin D'Silva, Rahim Uchil and corporator Premanand Shetty were present.