Jaipur, May 19 -- Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot has written to chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, urging immediate intervention to tackle the "unprecedented" water crisis gripping the entire Jodhpur division. In his letter, Gehlot said Jodhpur was witnessing "water emergency-like" conditions, with nearly 2 million people struggling for drinking water amid the intense summer heat. He blamed the crisis on alleged negligence and faulty assessment by the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and the local administration, alleging that only a few days' worth of potable water - around 36 MCFT - remained in the Kaylana and Takhtsagar reservoirs. Gehlot said proper water management was not carried out during the 50-day canal closure, resulting in far lower reserves than expected. He added that even after water was released from Punjab, it would take at least five more days to reach Jodhpur, while the department was trying unsuccessfully to stretch a two-day stock over five days. As a result, shutdowns were being imposed every three days in the city, he claimed. Highlighting the worsening ground situation, Gehlot said several urban and rural areas, including Rampura Bhatiyan, Mathania, Salawas and Rohicha Kalan, had not received water supply for days. In places where supply was available, residents were complaining of contaminated and foul-smelling water, he said. He claimed that local residents had taken to the streets, smashing earthen pots and staging road blockades in protest, leading to deterioration in the law-and-order situation. Gehlot urged Sharma to personally intervene in the matter and coordinate with railway authorities to immediately start the proposed emergency water train service from Pali to Jodhpur to provide backup water supply to the city. He also demanded that until canal water supply is fully restored, the government should expand free tanker-based water supply through PHED in affected urban and rural areas. Gehlot further called for strict action against illegal water connections and booster pumps, besides activation of old tube wells, wells and stepwells as alternative water sources. Meanwhile, CM Sharma has directed officials to accord top priority to drinking water and electricity supply across Rajasthan in view of the ongoing summer heat, warning that people should not face any inconvenience regarding essential services. Addressing a review meeting he stated accountability of district collectors and departmental officers would be fixed if complaints related to water and power supply were received....