There is no end to trouble for the Vasundhara Raje Government in Gujarat. Since the Gurjjar stir over quota, the Brahmins and Rajputs in the state have made known their demand for reservation. Now, it is the turn of a Congress MLA to threaten an agitation and blockade over a drinking water project.

On Wednesday, MLA Babulal Nagar threatened to block the Jaipur-Agra National Highway No 11—it suffered the brunt of the Gurjjar stir—if the state failed to initiate work on the Bisalpur Dudu Drinking Water Project by August 8.

Addressing a press conference here, Nagar said the Government was deliberately delaying the laying of pipelines and construction of tanks because the project was sanctioned by the Ashok Gehlot Government. “The project was first sanctioned in September 2003. It was shelved after the BJP came to power in December 2003. After much debate and protests, the BJP inaugurated the project 13 months back though the Congress Government had already held a stone-laying ceremony. But, till date no tenders have been invited,” said Nagar.

Nagar said if work does not begin by August 8, he along with 50,000 people from the affected villages would block NH-11. “Prior to that, we will also hold protests and submit a memorandum to the Chief Minister. If all that fails, we will be compelled to hit the streets,” he said.

The Rs 283.77-crore project will provide clean drinking water from the Bisalpur Dam to villages and towns of Jaipur, Nagaur and Tonk districts. These areas face now have brackish water with heavy fluoride content.

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