JD (U) MLA stages dharna against Bihar govt in Darbhanga

Patna July 31 (IANS): JD (U) MLA from Benipur Assembly constituency, Vinay Kumar Chaudhary, staged a 'dharna' against the Bihar government on Wednesday due to a severe potable water crisis in Bihar's Darbhanga district.

Chaudhary expressed concerns that the problem has worsened without any response from his own government's officials.

"I am miffed with the attitude of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and, therefore, was forced to sit on the ground in the chamber of the Executive Engineer of the department. The officials of the PHED are not cooperating to address the issue in the region," the MLA said.

The MLA added that the lack of rain in Bihar has exacerbated the water crisis in his own Assembly constituency.

Despite filing repeated complaints, no action has been taken, he said.

Chaudhary discussed the issue with the Executive Engineer of the PHED over the phone and scheduled to fix a meeting.

When the MLA arrived at the office of the Executive Engineer, the latter was absent, prompting Chaudhary to sit on the ground in protest inside his office.

Seeing the MLA's dharna causing concern among the officials, who hurriedly arrived to address the problem.

"When the Executive Engineer is not listening to the problem, how will he solve it? No employee is ready to listen or meet. I took the appointment and came here to meet him to get the problem fixed but he disappeared. This is shocking behaviour from the officer and hence I sat on a dharna," Chaudhary said.

Vinay Chaudhary has been representing the Benipur Assembly constituency since a long time, which has been reeling under scarcity of potable water.

The situation has worsened due to the scorching heat and declining water levels, causing hand pumps in the villages to stop working.

As a result, residents are struggling to access drinking water, and women are facing difficulties in cooking food.

--IANS

ajk/khz