Puducherry LG Kiran Bedi appeals for joint action, collaboration for welfare of people

Puducherry: Kiran Bedi, LG of Puducherry, who has been at loggerheads with the government and some government officials on various issues, Sunday appealed for collaboration and joint action for the good of the people.

She stated this in her Whatsapp message issued at the end of her weekend visit to some interior villages today to inspect maintenance of tanks and water bodies.

Stating that people seemed to be giving up faith in the administration, she said many of the Prime Minister’s schemes are not connected enough at the ground level. To ensure that senior public officers should regularly move out and visit the people to see for themselves the ground reality, she said.

“Elected representatives can be facilitators and need to be actually the drivers of change. We must work for the people together in a spirit of collaboration. Scarce and scattered resources will then be optimally used as they will converge.”

In another message, she said steps must be taken to ensure that funds allotted in the budget to desilt and maintain all 84 tanks should be used to prevent depletion of the water table, as otherwise a stage might come when all tanks would go dry.

She said Puducherry has inherited a very good tank system from France. The UT just has to prioritise the responsibility with proper planning, coordination and resources, she said.

“Funds can be procured from climate change scheme, the government of India and also from several other agencies as agriculture is the major employment generator for the rural community, the Lt Governor said.

“We need to collectively work to make Puducherry self-reliant and healthy in food, water and more. This would be possible to do provided we plan, provide and work together,” she said.