In drought-hit Latur, 10,000 litres water wasted for minister's visit

NEW DELHI: Even as Latur reels under a severe drought, close to 10,000 litres of water were wasted there today to clean up a helipad for the arrival of a state minister to the district, Times Now reported.Eknath Khadse, the Maharashtra agriculture minister, could have taken a car to Belkund, which is just 40 minutes from Latur city. Instead, he chose to go by helicopter, Times Now said.The amount of water used to ensure the helipad is spick and span - 10,000 litres - is what a family in Latur is given - per week.Khadse said the water wastage charge is untrue and added that the issue is being 'blown out of proportion'.Since April 11, over three trips , the railways have delivered 15 lakh litres of water from the Krishna river to parched Latur in Marathwada.In fact, it was Khadse who on April 5 announced that a decision had been taken to supply water to Latur by train to tackle the water scarcity there.Khadse's Friday visit was for a review of the water unloading and distribution facilities.This incident comes at a time when Maharashtra is looking at various measures to conserve water.In fact, on Wednesday, the Bombay High Court ordered the country's cricket board to move matches of the ongoing Indian Premier League out of Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur after April 30 so that water isn't wasted on preparing the grounds.That means 13 matches, including the final on May 29, cannot be held in Maharashtra.