GULBARGA: The Hyderabad-Karnataka Janapara Sangharsha Samiti has threatened to revive its agitation by holding "rasta sabhas" and "rasta dharnas" if the Gulbarga City Corporation and the district administrations fail to fulfil written assurances on improving drinking water supply in the city and providing basic amenities.

President of the samiti Laxman Dasti and other office-bearers, including Annapurna Hiremath and Rekha Matpathi, told presspersons that the samiti which had launched "rasta sabhas" by holding public meetings on roads in different localities from April 19 had called off the agitation on April 20 following a written assurance from the corporation Commissioner that all issues raised by the samiti would be implemented in a phased manner.

The Commissioner had given in writing that the drinking water supply to the city would be provided on alternate days either from April 21 or 22. However, till date this promise had not been fulfilled. Residents in different parts of the city continue to go without drinking water supply for 10 days or more, the samiti said.

Mr. Dasti said that there was no hope of immediate supply of drinking water on alternate days in the city owing to reported conflicts between officials of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB), which provides bulk water supply to the city, and the City Corporation officials who were responsible for internal distribution of the water in the city.

Accusing Agriculture Marketing Minister Sharanabasappa Dharshanapur, who is also the district in-charge Minister, and the city MLA Chandrasekhar Patil Revoor of failing in their duties to come to the assistance of the people, Mr. Dasti said they had neither bothered to visit the agitating people nor hold discussions with the samiti which was spearheading the agitation to find a permanent solution to the problem faced by the people in the city.

Mr. Dasti said the samiti would hold public meetings in different localities, including Mominpura and others and hold a "rasta sabha" on Wednesday at Tipu Sultan Chowk in the Gulbarga Ring Road.

On April 27, a "rasta sabha" would be held in the Nehru Gunj locality and start "rasta dharna" in different localities bringing to halt the traffic movement in the city from April 29.

The samiti would organise a Gulbarga city bandh at the end of this month May first-week if the Government failed to respond to the problems of the people, he added.

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