Lucknow: A water train sent to parched Bundelkhand by the Centre was turned down by the Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday saying there was no need for it. More embarrassingly, UP officials went on record saying the train in fact carried no water.
Jhansi District Magistrate Ajay Shukla told CNN-News18 the 10 coaches came without any water, and that in case the state has enough water to deal with the situation.
"There is no water. We checked it personally, officers concerned also checked it. It's empty. It reached on Wednesday. We have enough water here, since we have water in the reservoirs for drinking purposes, and tankers would be supplying it," Shukla said.
Railway officials said the train was to be filled with water at Jhansi.
"The wagons are ready to be filled with water from a nearby reservoir for dispatch to the destination as and when needed," said Girish Nikam, Commercial Officer, Jhansi Railway Division.
"So far, there is no demand from anywhere for water...It will be sent if there is any demand or if we get any further directives," Kanchan said.
The train for Bundelkhand reached Jhansi where it was parked in the railway yard. The 10-coach water train was sent for Mahoba area of Bundelkhand, where around 40 villages face a crippling shortage of water.
Despite the water crisis, the state government told the Centre they did not need a water train like the ones sent to drought-hit Latur in Maharashtra.
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari accused the Samajwadi Party government of throwing away all the water in the train, but did not have an answer when asked how anyone could manage to dump tens of thousands of litres without anyone noticing.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav conveyed his displeasure to the Centre and is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the matter on Friday.
(With additional information from PTI)
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