Floods not only because of nature, scams also a factor: Hooda

Jind: Making a scathing attack on the BJP govt over the flood issue, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that measures taken by the BJP govt for flood control and relief are inadequate.

"Considering the seriousness of people's suffering and the threat to life and property, the govt must be more responsive," he said.

Hood stated that a major part of the state has come under the grip of floods. "Villages, fields, lanes, roads, highways, and cities are all submerged. Affected people are pleading for govt help. The govt must immediately initiate a special assessment (girdawari) and provide 100 percent compensation for crop losses.

Along with this, the damage to houses and shops should be surveyed and compensation announced without delay," he added. Hooda was addressing a press conference in Jind on Friday, during which he claimed that the floods are not only due to nature, but also because of the BJP govt's scams and inaction. "Scams continuously took place under the AMRUT scheme, cleanliness drives, and sewerage systems. Even the CAG report exposed several irregularities.

This is the reason why, today, from villages to cities, people are facing flooding and waterlogging, because the govt neither cleaned the canals in time nor maintained the sewerage system," the former CM said.

On the issue of courses being shut down at Chaudhary Ranbir Singh University, Hooda said that currently, 52 percent of staff positions in state universities are lying vacant. "This is why universities in Haryana are continuously falling behind.

For the sixth consecutive year, no university from Haryana made it into the top 100 in the country. The Congress govt established Chaudhary Ranbir Singh University to raise the standard of education in Jind and surrounding districts.

But now the BJP govt is continuously shutting down courses in schools, colleges, and universities," he alleged.On the question of law and order, the former Chief Minister said that crime is at its peak in the state. It seems as if there is no govt at all in Haryana. Due to rising crime, no new investment is coming to the state. Because of the lack of investment, Haryana has become number one in unemployment. Unchecked crime and unemployment are proving to be the biggest failures of the BJP govt, he added. MSID:: 123721233 413 |