Opposition disappointed over state’s Vidarbha reply

The Opposition legislators in the state assembly staged a dharna on Wednesday to express their deep disappointment over the government's reply to the five-hour debate on irrigation and industrial backlogs of the Vidarbha region.

The Opposition legislators in the state assembly staged a dharna on Wednesday to express their deep disappointment over the government's reply to the five-hour debate on irrigation and industrial backlogs of the Vidarbha region. The opposition did not allow proceedings in the lower house to continue, stating that there was nothing concrete in the minister for water resources Sunil Tatkare's reply.

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Lashing out at the government, leader of the opposition Eknath Khadse said the reply has shown that the government was not at all serious over the burning issues of Vidarbha. "The minister has conveniently ignored the urgent need to remove the physical backlog in irrigation in the region, which is reeling under an agrarian crisis because of poor irrigation facilities," said Khadse.

Heeding to Khadse's plea for intervention, speaker Dilip Walse-Patil agreed that the winter session be dedicated to the problems of the region and directed Tatkare to hold a special meeting in his chambers with legislators to sort out the matter. Only after the speaker's assurance, did the opposition members give up their protest and let the question hour begin.

On the irrigation front, Tatkare had to face the Opposition's ire as he said the backlog in economic terms was almost removed.