The government was at the receiving end on Wednesday for not providing basic civic amenities to legislators.

BJP MLA Sachindra Prasad Singh alleged that the MLA flats on Daroga Prasad Rai Path in Patna lacked basic amenities such as pure drinking water, cleanliness and sewerage.

He, along with seven MLAs, drew the attention of the government towards the pathetic living condition of the MLAs. Building construction minister and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav tried to defend the department stressing that the premises in which the multi-storied buildings existed is housing over 30 MLAs.

"The compound of the flats are cleaned up daily," said the deputy CM, promising to look into the matter.

The agitated MLAs, however, refused to relent. "I dare the minister to come to the venue and clean up the premises. If the premises don't throw up a truck load of garbage, I will resign from the House," said Singh. He said there was no proper sewerage system for water to pass.

"On top of it most of the servant quarters and garages were encroached. Most of them are used by washermen and I find everyone parking their vehicles and thelas on the premises," an MLA said.

Singh recalled that a former minister during his tenure had got water purifiers installed in every flat to ensure clean drinking water.

"How much does it cost to install a water purifier in the flats again?" he asked.

Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary asked the minister to look into the matter and clean up the premises before Holi. "Holi is all about cleanliness and it is the duty of the MLAs residing there to clean up the premises," said the Speaker.

Tejashwi assured the House that he would look into the grievances of the MLAs.

The flats on Daroga Prasad Rai Path are usually given to the first-time MLAs. The poor civic conditions have made several MLAs stay in rented flats. The complaints against the three multi-storied buildings are frequent.

Building construction department officials blame the MLAs for the poor civic conditions because they often give away garages and servant quarters to their supporters and even roadside vendors.

The Nitish government had promised duplex for all 243 MLAs and 75 MLCs spending Rs 275 crore. The new MLAs' residence will have a community hall, swimming pool, gym and a shopping complex. The existing flats for legislators were supposed to be demolished to make way for the new ones, however, there is a stay on demolition from the Patna High Court.

"We have repeatedly raised the issue of dilapidated conditions of the MLA flats. The one on Daroga Prasad Rai Path is in a bad condition and despite several letters, the building construction department does very little to give it a facelift. There is total anarchy. Anyone can access the premises and it creates a law-and-order problem. Instead of repairing the houses, the government is talking about new duplex. There is no indication that the new flats will be built anytime soon. It is a long-term plan. Until then, does the government want the MLAs to live in sub-human conditions?" asked BJP MLA Nitin Navin.

What should be more worrying for the government is the fact that the flats on Daroga Prasad Rai Path are relatively new. "In old ones there are leaking roofs threatening to collapse," said another MLA.

Recently, a contract was given to a construction company for demolition of the old MLA houses and construction of the new ones. Most of the old houses have been demolished. But work is yet to start on the new ones and the existing MLAs believe it will not be completed during this House's tenure.

Only a few lucky MLAs have managed to get official residents allotted in their names. The rest are being given Rs 28,000 per month to rent an accommodation in Patna.

There were several MLAs who complain that residents are reluctant to give their houses on rent to legislators and that getting a suitable house is becoming a problem, as they had to entertain people from their constituencies.

The shortage of flat for MLAs led to several newly elected MLAs placing their nameplates outside the houses of defeated MLAs without the approval of the housing department after the 2015 Assembly polls. Tejashwi had to warn RJD MLAs not to forcefully occupy the government houses.