Pondy CM asks Bedi to abstain from commenting on Tamil Nadu

Continuing his attack on Kiran Bedi over her remarks on the water crisis in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy Wednesday asked the Lt Governor to know her limits and abstain from making comments on the neighbouring state. Bedi's recent remarks on the politicians, bureaucrats and the people of Tamil Nadu in the context of water crisis were "unbecoming" of the position Bedi was holding, he told reporters here.

"Bedi is Lt Governor of Puducherry and has no right to make any comments on the neighbouring state. Her accusations that poor governance, corrupt politics and indifferent bureaucracy as the reasons for the water crisis are too serious in nature," he said. The observation of Bedi that "the highly selfish and cowardly attitude of the people of the state is also responsible for the crisis" is also a serious charge, he added.

Narayanasamy asked Bedi to discharge her duties within the statutory limits without causing any slur to the post she was holding. The Puducherry Lt Governor, referring to a media report on the water situation in Chennai, had said Sunday that the city has become the first in the country to run dry four years after it witnessed floods due to copious rains.

The people's perception, in response to the report, was that the situation arose due to "poor governance, corrupt politics and indifferent bureaucracy," she said. On Monday, she said she shared only the people's perception. "It is not my personal view and hence there is nothing personal in the message," she added.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of another function, Narayanasamy said the overall drinking water situation in Puducherry was "comfortable and satisfactory." Except for a couple of villages- Eripakkam and Konerikuppam- drinking water "is available to people without any hindrance." Steps were being taken to relieve the two villages of the difficulty in getting potable water, he added. Noting that the territorial government has evolved a Rs 500 crore drinking water scheme to augment the availability of water, Narayanasamy said necessary tenders to award contracts to carry out the scheme was being finalised.