SC questions Centre's 'seriousness' on drought

Maharashtra's Latur district will be supplied water through trains for the next 15 days, while prohibitory orders were clamped near water spots in Parbhani as the drought situation in the country worsened, forcing the Supreme Court to question the Centre's seriousness.

The Court, which resumed hearing on a petition filed by non-governmental organisation Swaraj Abhiyan.

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"Is something like drought not important? Where is the ASG (Additional Solicitor General)? Are we useless? What are we supposed to do? Sit idle and look at the clock," the apex court is believed to have said during the hearing.

It also castigated the Haryana and Gujarat governments for presenting half-baked figures on drought in their states and fixed the next date for hearing on April 12.

Meanwhile, news agency Press Trust of India reported that the situation has turned so grim in areas like Latur and Beed that authorities are even mulling to shift inmates in district prisons.

The Opposition on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government of failing to tackle the severe crisis.

"We have made arrangements for supplying water through train to Latur. The first such train will reach Latur in next fortnight," Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse told the Maharashtra Assembly during a discussion on the acute water scarcity in Latur.

In Parbhani town, prohibitory orders have been enforced near supply spots and water tanks under section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code till May 3 with deployment of Home Guards to check people milling around taps and tanks that could result in law and order problems.