HP seeks Rs 4,751 cr for rainwater harvesting projects
Shimla, May 25: Himachal Pradesh has sought central funding of Rs 4,751 crore for setting up rainwater harvesting structures, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Friday.
Presiding over the review meeting of the Irrigation and Public Health Department here, he said, being a hilly state, rainwater flows downstream unused and the government plans to check the water wastage by constructing water harvesting structures which could be utilized for irrigation and other purposes.
The state has also sent another proposal of Rs 798 crore for central funding for remodelling and enhancing 1,421 water supply schemes to ensure adequate supply to the people, Thakur said.
Emphasising the need for taking steps to check water leakage in the "drought-like condition in the state", he said that it is the department's duty to ensure that there is no scarcity of water.
The tourist season is on its peak across the state and efforts should be made to ensure there is no inconvenience to the people and the tourists, he said.
Officials told IANS that most of the tourist destinations in the state, including the state capital, are currently facing huge shortage of potable water.
In Shimla, localities are getting water once in a week.
The water shortage leaves tourism industry representatives worrying as Shimla gets 20,000-30,000 tourists on an average every weekend during the peak summer season (May-June).
Locals rue that Shimla is now synonymous with water scarcity -- both in summer and winter.
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SC should take cognisance: Priyanka on Sambhal issue
New Delhi (PTI): In the wake of violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday accused the Yogi Adityanath government of creating divisions while sitting in power and urged the Supreme Court to take cognisance of the matter and deliver justice.
Three people were killed and scores of others, including security and administration personnel, injured as protesters opposing a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque in Sambhal clashed with police on Sunday.
In a post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, "The attitude of the state government regarding the sudden dispute in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, is very unfortunate. The way the administration acted in haste in such a sensitive matter without listening to the other side, without taking both the parties into confidence, shows that the government itself spoiled the atmosphere there."
The administration did not even consider it necessary to follow the necessary procedure and duty, the Congress general secretary said.
"Trying to spread discrimination, oppression and division while sitting in power is neither in the interest of the people nor in the interest of the country. The honourable Supreme Court should take cognisance of the matter and do justice," Priyanka Gandhi said.
"My appeal to the people of the state is to maintain peace in all circumstances," she asserted.
The district administration has imposed prohibitory orders and barred the entry of outsiders till November 30 following Sunday's violence.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Moradabad) Muniraj told reporters on Monday that Naeem, Bilal and Nauman -- the three men who died in Sunday's violence -- had been buried. All three were aged about 25.
Divisional Commissioner (Moradabad) Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said on Sunday, "Shots were fired by miscreants... the PRO of the superintendent of police suffered a gunshot to the leg, the circle officer was hit by pellets and 15 to 20 security personnel were injured in the violence."
A constable also suffered a serious head injury while the deputy collector fractured his leg, he had said.
Internet services were soon suspended in Sambhal tehsil for 24 hours and the district administration declared a holiday in all schools for Monday.
The Congress on Sunday alleged that the Adityanath administration was squarely responsible for killing innocents and only the BJP-RSS was guilty of "setting fire" to peace and harmony in Sambhal.
The opposition party had said the videos of direct firing on the protesters depicted the horrifying result of a "well-planned conspiracy" by Adityanath and the BJP-RSS.
