Congress Legislators Stage Protest Walkout Over Sewage Treatment Plant Delays in Rajasthan Assembly
In a dramatic turn of events during Friday's session of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, Congress MLAs staged a coordinated walkout, expressing profound dissatisfaction with Urban Development and Housing (UDH) Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra's response regarding persistent delays in the completion of sewage treatment plants (STPs) across the state.
Heated Exchange Over Sewage Infrastructure Delays
The confrontation erupted when Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Ramkesh Meena, raised critical concerns about incomplete sewage treatment projects. "Entire cities have been dug up for this work, yet the sewage treatment plants remain incomplete in numerous urban areas. When can our citizens expect these essential projects to be finally completed?" Meena demanded during the question hour.
In his detailed reply, Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra shifted blame to the previous Congress administration, listing what he described as fundamental flaws in the tendering process during their tenure. "During the previous Congress government, numerous sewerage projects were indeed initiated. However, critical operation and management requirements were consistently overlooked," Kharra asserted.
The minister elaborated on specific technical deficiencies, noting that while sewer pipelines were installed, "the inlet and outlet levels were not properly determined during implementation. The inlet was incorrectly lowered while the outlet was raised, creating functional problems that required subsequent corrective measures."
Opposition Objections and Government Rebuttal
Congress MLAs immediately objected to what they perceived as the minister's evasive response, prompting Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani to call for the next question on the agenda. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel condemned the opposition's reaction, stating "it is truly condemnable that Congress legislators would walk out simply because they did not receive a favorable answer to their query."
The protest drew criticism from other quarters as well, with BSP MLA Manoj expressing frustration that "their uproar and subsequent walkout are wasting valuable legislative time that should be dedicated to public welfare discussions."
Government's Future Plans for Wastewater Management
Amid the political turmoil, Minister Kharra outlined the current administration's comprehensive strategy for addressing the state's sewage treatment challenges. He revealed that many cities currently fail to meet the established criteria for establishing conventional sewage treatment plants.
The minister announced ambitious plans under the 2025-26 budget allocation, detailing that comprehensive wastewater management work would be executed across 296 cities, including Jahazpur. "Our government intends to operationalize sewage treatment plants through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to ensure efficiency and sustainability," Kharra explained.
He further assured the Assembly that wastewater management initiatives would commence in all eligible cities immediately upon receiving necessary approvals from the finance department, emphasizing the administration's commitment to resolving this critical infrastructure issue.
The walkout by Congress legislators highlighted the deepening political tensions surrounding urban infrastructure development in Rajasthan, with sewage treatment emerging as a significant point of contention between the ruling party and opposition forces.
