Speaking to dna, Latur collector Pandurang Pol confirmed the receipt of the bill. He added that the state administration had asked for a waiver right at the beginning of the planning stage for these water trains and, hence, the receipt was surprising.
The state government and railway ministry's good PR on the transport of water by railway wagons to drought-hit Latur evaporated on Thursday after the railways sent the state administration a bill of Rs4 crore for the effort. This despite both chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and railway minister Suresh Prabhu earlier publicly saying that the railways would waive off charges.
Speaking to dna, Latur collector Pandurang Pol confirmed the receipt of the bill. He added that the state administration had asked for a waiver right at the beginning of the planning stage for these water trains and, hence, the receipt was surprising. "You should ask the railways why they have sent the bill. We have passed it on to the higher authorities in the state government who will decide on the next course of action," said Pol.
The railways for the moment seems to have been caught on the wrong foot fully aware that the Opposition parties could tear into the state and the Centre for making water during a drought a "business proposition" for the railways.
"As per the rules, the railway administration is right. Even in 2002 when water was being transported by rail wagons to several parts of Rajasthan, the Traffic Commercial Rates Directorate of the railway ministry had waived off charges but had maintained accounts of the entire effort. This is part of normal accounting procedures laid down for all government ministries. As far as the emotional aspect of a drought and the ensuing hardship is concerned, asking for money to transport water leaves a bad taste," agreed railway officials.
Officials added that the matter of transporting water by rail wagons was handled much better in 2002 under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, when the railway ministry would issue a rate instruction notification every month, extending free services of the railways for drought-affected districts a month at a time. The notification would specify that special care shall be taken by the Railways Traffic Accounts Office for maintenance of a separate account for such bookings. Officials said the Rs4 crore bill was raised as part of this account procedure.
"It was simple and hassle-free. However, this time around the railway ministry seems to have undone the good work it was doing by transporting water with such efficiency to Latur on a daily basis," said a railway official.
Messages sent to railway minister Suresh Prabhu and Central Railway general manager SK Sood were not answered. Other railways officials from CR also refused to talk about the bill issue.
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