E-Paper
Kannada-dominated Maha villages allege neglect in water supply
A Maharashtra official says the government treats everyone equally and does not discriminate on linguistic or religious grounds
Four more Kannada-populated villages have joined approximately 30 villages in south and east Maharashtra, appealing to the Karnataka government to supply water to them, people aware of the matter said, adding that they have even urged for merger with the southern state to overcome their woes.
The four villages -- Gugawad, Basaragi, Sindur, and Umarani -- are in Jat taluk of Sangli district in Maharashtra,
“Like in previous years, Kannada-populated villages on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border are facing acute water shortages this year. We receive tanker water only once a week, while other villages in the taluk, with a higher Marathi population, receive daily tanker water. The supplied water is insufficient to meet our needs,” said Appasab Mulla, an elderly resident of Umarani.
In response to the allegations, Jat taluk tehsildar Jeevan Banasode said that he was unaware of the villages receiving water only once a week. He added that water supply to villages in Maharashtra is based on daily requirements and population. “The four villages’ complaint will be looked into. If there are lapses on the part of the administration, we will correct them soon,” the officer said.
Banasode has asked villagers to file a written complaint for redressal of the water problem. He said, “The state treats everyone equally and does not discriminate on linguistic or religious grounds.” He acknowledged the drought conditions in Jat taluk but added that every affected village receives at least a tanker of water daily.
Kallappa Patil, 80, from Umarani village pointed out larger Kannadiga population in Solapur, Ichalkaranji, Sangli, and Kolhapur in south Maharashtra. “As our population is larger than that of Marathis in this part of the state, we are denied our lawful basic facilities,” Patil said.
“The Kannada-populated villages in south Maharashtra remain the same as in the early years of the nation’s independence. Neither the roads, streetlights, schools nor the electric and water supply facilities have been improved. ‘As hundreds of our representations to panchayat members to legislators and MPs were not addressed, we have stooped making efforts. We are now relying on Karnataka, which is our last resort,” he said.
Patil pointed out the disparities in facilities, alleging neglect towards Kannada schools in Maharashtra. He accused the Maharashtra government of attempting to close down Kannada schools by not providing adequate teachers and timely textbooks.
In response to the villagers’ plea, Karnataka Congress minister MB Patil, with the Maharashtra government’s permission, has been supplying water through underground pipelines to border villages for approximately five years. The Karnataka minister, having started the initiative at his own expense from Vijayapur district, addressed the water needs of needy villages in Maharashtra.
