AAP protests privatisation of drinking water supply

Hubballi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers staged a sit-on-dhatana at Mini Vidhan Soudha here on Friday to protest the privatisation of drinking water supply in Hubbalki-Dharwad.
AAP leader Vikas Soppin alleged that handing over responsibility for water supply to L&T company is part of the BJP's conspiracy to privatise the service sector. “This will result in higher water bills in the coming days and the lower middle class and the poor will be deprived of water in the future,” he said.
Anantkumar Bugadi stated that the AAP is raising awareness about the negative effects of privatising drinking water supply in the twin cities through the J4 (Jeeva Jal Jan Jagruti) campaign.“HDMC is holding a series of meetings with L&T, and Union minister Pralhad Joshi recently held a meeting on the subject in Delhi. These meetings are evidence of the administration collaborating with private companies,” he said.
Another leader, Shashikumar Sullad, claimed that the Delhi AAP government is effectively carrying out its duties with its own manpower. “If the HDMC and the state government do not cancel this contract, we will intensify the protest in the coming days,” he warned.
Other leaders who spoke at the event included Manjunath Jakkannavar, Mallikarjunayya Hiremath, Pratibha Diwakar, Tasmiya Basha Talewad, and Indira Bankapur.