BIDAR: Ruling party MLAs have criticised the decision of the State Government to transfer drinking water schemes away from MLA-led task forces to gram panchayats.

During the Karnataka Development Programme review meeting here on Monday, Janata Dal (Secular) MLA Mallikarjun Khuba and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Rajendra Verma criticised the Government's decision to strip MLAs of their power to be presidents of drinking water supply task forces and scarcity relief committees in the taluks.

`Impractical'

"What do gram panchayats know about water supply? What is their experience? What technically qualified manpower do they have?" Mr. Khuba asked. "This is an impractical decision on the part of the State Government," he said.

Mr. Verma said MLAs would find it difficult to answer questions from voters who were suffering owing to water supply scarcity.

"What is the use of being an MLA if we cannot even supply drinking water to our constituents? Are we here merely to act as rubber stamps, saying yes to every action of the Government?" he asked.

"While the Congress-Janata Dal (S) Government was in power, we would organise dharnas and agitations, demanding water supply. Now we cannot even do that. We are members of the ruling party and any agitation from our side will be an embarrassment for our leaders," he said.

Minister for Agriculture and district in-charge Bandeppa Kashempur said he would hold KDP meetings every month rather than one every quarter. "I want all district-level officials to be present at these meetings. I will give every officer a specific target and a deadline. If they fail to meet them, I will take strict action," he said.

The Minister directed heads of all departments in the districts to transfer their subordinates based on their honesty and efficiency.

The MLAs alleged that works taken up under the Jal Nirmal Water Supply and Sanitation Scheme were of low quality. They demanded an inquiry into the World Bank-aided scheme. Deputy Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer Munish Moudgil said a third party quality inspection would be conducted by the Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College. MLCs Quazi Arshad Ali, Rathna Kushnoor, zilla panchayat president Anil Bhusare and others were present.

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