Haryana: Hooda opposes 25 per cent hike in water bills

CHANDIGARH: Former chief minister and leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda has said that the BJP-JJP government does not miss any opportunity to rob the pockets of the public, who are already facing a double blow of weather on one side, and inflation on the other.

Reacting to the hike in water bills by the Haryana Urban Development Authority up to 25%, he said people of the state are already facing the brunt of skyrocketing inflation. In such a situation, BJP-JJP is rubbing salt on people’s wounds by increasing the water bills.

Hooda said that till now the public had not even emerged from the loss caused by the Covid pandemic that they have now been hit by floods. “In this difficult time, the public should have got some relief from the government but on the contrary, the government is adding to people’s troubles. The entire focus of the government should have been on flood control and relief work, but even in such a time, the government is busy in picking the pockets of the public,” he said.

The former chief minister said most of the districts of the state are completely submerged in flood water. “People are facing shortage of food items, electricity, water and fodder for cattle due to water-logging. Lakhs of acres of crops of the farmers have been completely ruined. Proper steps are not being taken by the government for draining out rain water,” he stated. “Due to waterlogging, diseases have also started spreading in the flood affected areas, but the government did not make any plan for

its prevention.”

Due to non-recruitment by the government, there is already a shortage of doctors and other staff in the hospitals. That’s why there are long queues of patients in the hospitals. It seems as if BJP-JJP has left the public to fend for themselves,” he added.

He said many diseases like foot and mouth have also spread in animals due to floods. “Cows have come on the roads due to water filling in cow shelters. The government did not make any arrangement for that also. Already almost half the posts of veterinary doctors are lying vacant,” he pointed out.

Hooda said the public had to pay a huge price for the negligence and neglect of the government. “In such a situation, the government should wake up from its deep slumber at least now. The government should mobilize maximum resources for draining out flood water. Villages should be provided with generator and diesel. Along with this, farmers should be given compensation at the rate of Rs 40,000 per acre. The process of giving compensation to all should start soon after properly assessing the loss caused to homes, shopkeepers and businessmen,” he said.