Anantapur, Jan 2: “Where is the water for new schemes,” was the question posed by Sai Baba of Puttaparthi when Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy made an appeal to him to provide assistance for some more drinking water schemes in Anantapur district.

The Chief Minister and his ministerial colleagues N Raghuveera Reddy and J C Diwakar Reddy were closetted with Baba on Sunday. Addressing a public meeting later, YSR clarified that the question was born out of the letdown he had faced from the erstwhile TD government which had failed to provide water to the Satya Sai drinking water project in the district.

“We have assured Sai Baba that water would be provided to the drinking water schemes at all costs,” he said. He revealed that Sai Baba’s intervention was sought for a drinking water scheme that would cover Hindupur, Madakasira and Penukonda segments. The plea made to the Sai Baba assumes importance in the wake of the severe drinking water crisis faced by Madakasira segment, which was Minister N Raghuveera Reddy’s native constituency.