City & rural areas still grappling with decades-old problems: former candidates

By Mehboob Inamdar

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

“The city and rural areas of the district have grappled with the different issues which have existed two decades to two and half decades ago. The problems included water scarcity, declining health services in hospitals run by the Government and local self-governing bodies, free education facilities for poor students, development of internal roads, generating more employment for youths and establishment of required infrastructure and facilities for the promotion of city as tourism hub,” opined by some of the former candidates of Aurangabad Lok Sabha Constituency while talking with the newspaper in the backdrop of LS elections to be conducted in the district on May 13.

Former MP Uttamsingh Pawar said that the city has grown by leaps and bounds during the last 20 to 25 years.“However, water supply and other facilities have not improved on the line of the city’s expansion. Internal roads in many areas are so narrow even today that an ambulance cannot pass in case of any emergency. Water scarcity has become grim because the civic body has not cooperated with the private agency,” he said. Pawar said that the number of vehicles rose multiple times while there was no required parking facility. He said that traffic has become a menace now due to road parking.

Subhash Lomte, contested the election from Aurangabad LS Constituency in 2014 as an Aam Admi Party candidate feels that those who had power in the civic body failed to meet the expectations of the people.

He said that people should be given water became a serious issue on a local level while protection of the Constitution in the country is a need of the hour.

“All people of the district should get free health facilities in Government hospitals. Different tests and medicines were provided to the patient based on registration receipt by paying just 10 pais three to four decades ago. Now, patients have to buy many medicines from outside and undergo tests in private laboratories. New avenues for jobs should be opened in the district,” he said.

Lomte said that free education for children and a pension for senior citizens should be given. “Transparency is declining in policies of the central Government. So, there is a need for the protection of the Constitution on a national level,” he added.

Indrakumar Jevrikar who contested the election from the Constituency in 2014 on a BSP ticket said that the problems were literally ignored due to caste-based politics being played here.

“Water is easily available in other regions of the State while Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar which is the capital of Marathwada is crying for water problems. Had they not played the politics, the issue would have been solved easily. The district has the world-famous Ajanta and Ellora caves. However, it lacked the required connectivity with air, road and railway for the promotion as a prominent tourist centre. Thousands of youths would have got employment if it had needed infrastructure and facilities,” he asserted.

He said that the leaders of other regions of the State come together, cutting across the party lines for development while this was not seen in our region and Nagpur is the best example of the development done by joining hands by parties.