Flowers For Wasted Water! Congress Protests 10-Day Pipeline Leak In MP's Piplia Mandi

Congress activists in Madhya Pradesh's Piplia Mandi staged a unique protest on Tuesday, presenting floral tributes to water being wasted due to a leaking drinking water pipeline between Gudbheli and Lunahera Phanta. The leak had persisted for 10 days despite numerous complaints, prompting a show of dissent from city Congress Committee workers who laid wreaths at the site and observed a two-minute silence.

District Congress General Secretary Anil Sharma highlighted the growing water scarcity issues, pointing out that scanty rainfall and rising temperatures had lowered water levels in wells and reservoirs, posing a threat to farmers' irrigation needs for Rabi crops like opium. Farmers were already conserving water using sprinklers for onions, garlic, and other crops, yet millions of gallons were being lost due to the pipeline leak, Sharma alleged.

Sharma called for an independent investigation into the pipeline's construction quality and punishment for those responsible. Former Mandal President Dinesh Gupta echoed these sentiments, deeming the failure to repair the leak a serious negligence and demanding immediate action. Chambal water was demanded for reservoirs, and Malhargarh tehsil was urged to be declared a drought-hit area, as adequate irrigation water was deemed crucial for the upcoming Rabi season.

A Congress delegation is scheduled to meet Collector Divyank Singh to discuss the demands. City Congress President Kishore Uniyara and party workers participated in the protest.