City water diverted: KTR
The state government has admitted to the diversion of Godavari water meant for drinking water for Hyderabad to Gajwel and Siddipet, the constituencies of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and irrigation minister T. Harish Rao.
Municipal administration minister K.T. Rama Rao told the Assembly on Saturday that gajwel and Siddipet were being given water as per the practice of providing bulk water supply to the rural water supply department to meet the drinking water needs of people in areas where the pipeline passes.
He said the diversion had not resulted in a shortage in the city, as alleged by Opposition parties.
He was replying to a question by BJP Khairatabad legislator Chintala Ramachandra Reddy who asked how the diversion of water from the city’s Godavari water project could be termed Mission Bhagiratha project.
The government had got Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate it in Gajwel in August last, he said.
Mr Rama Rao replied, “Only those residing in Hyderabad are not people. Those residing in towns and villages are also people and they too have drinking water needs. The government has equal responsibility to the people in all areas.” The new managing committee of the Wakf Board has decided to review the decisions taken by the special officer after the formation of the state.
After the Telangana state was formed in June 2014, the state Wakf Board was created in September 2015 with a special officer heading it till January 10 this year.
The elected body that took charge recently noticed several irregularities that allegedly occurred during the tenure of the special officer.
Board sources said the then chief executive officer had issued proceedings extending the term of the mutawalli of Dargah Yousufian at Nampally six months prior to the expiry of his term, which was contrary to the law.
The board also noticed that the chief executive officer had issued proceedings even after constitution of the new committee by confirming a bid of `82 lakh for the right to collect offerings of Dargah Hazarath Yakoob Shaheed in Warangal for one year.
Wakf Board chairman Mohammed Saleem said that the Board had asked for reports regarding the decisions taken during the special officer’s tenure within four days.
Minorities welfare department secretary Syed Omar Jaleel, the competent authority, said neither he nor the chief executive officer had issued any proceedings after the Board was constituted.
Interacting with mediapersons at the Haj House on Saturday, he said, “Let the Board to review the decisions.” Mr Omar Jaleel said the Board had no power to appoint the chief executive officer and the government had issued a memo to the officer who had taken charge on the instructions of the board.
Referring to allegations of delay in releasing Budget allocations for 2015-16, he said there was no delay and the government had released `1,037 crore out of `1,209 crore.He said that `661 crore had already been spent on welfare programmes. For the first time, the Centre had sanctioned `126 core for construction of seven residential schools in the state, Mr Omar Jaleel said.