POLITICAL PARTIES INDULGE IN BLAME GAME

SHIMLA:WITH the capital city reeling under a water crisis, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) are leaving no stone unturned to get political mileage from the situation.

The BJP on Thursday launched an offensive against the Congress for criticising the government for water crisis in Shimla. Party chief spokesman Randhir Sharma lambasted Congress legislature party leader Mukesh Agnihotri for holding the government responsible for the crisis.

“No chief minister is responsible for a droughtlike situation or natural disaster. But it is the responsibility

of the government to tackle it,” said Sharma.

“It does not behove of any political party or leaders to politicise the water crisis,” he said. He attributed to crisis to scanty snowfall in the catchment areas this year.

‘CM REVIEWING THE SITUATION’

“The chief minister is reviewing the situation routinely. Water scarcity is not new to Shimla as it has happened in the past too. The government should have taken adequate measures when water level in sources began to go down,” he said. Congress general secretary and chief spokesman Naresh Chauhan said, “The mismanagement of water in the state capital has made national headlines. It has adversely impacted

the tourism Industry. It has shown the state in a poor light.”

CPIM DEMANDS ALL-PARTY MEETING

The Communist Party of India’s state committee on Thursday expressed concern over the crisis.

“We are with the people of Shimla and are committed to struggle for their basics needs,” state committee member Sanjay Chauhan, who is also a former city mayor. He held the Bjpruled municipal corporation responsible for the crisis. He said there is a lack of coordination in the government. The CM is reviewing the situation, the IPH minister is functioning on his own while the Shimla MLA is busy in his own thing , he said.