The water resources department has issued a government resolution (GR) through which it has instituted a committee of officials to inquire into irrigation projects which were found to have serious irregularities.
Minister for water resources Girish Mahajan on Thursday said that since the inquiry in the 191 irrigation projects has been instituted as per High Court orders, the government would not spare anyone, including Ajit Pawar or Sunil Tatkare if found involved in the irregularities.
The water resources department has issued a government resolution (GR) through which it has instituted a committee of officials to inquire into irrigation projects which were found to have serious irregularities. Speaking to media persons, Mahajan informed that it was after water expert Pradeep Puranadare's public interest litigation (PIL) that the High Court bench had given orders. Accordingly, the inquiry has been instituted, informed Mahajan.
Mahajan informed that the entire tender process of total 191 projects would be conducted and there were 66 projects for which advances were paid to contractors even before commencement of the work. Mahajan said that on one hand there is no water available at many places and on the other hand the previous government has paid advances where the work is yet to start. He said that in the first place the previous government failed to prepare detailed state water plan which would have avoided imbalance in distribution of water. Instead, it has paid money without commencement of the work and that is how the previous government used to function.
Mahajan informed that the work in 135 projects were going on and while there were 66 projects for which work has not commenced even now. He told that the inquiry would be conducted into the tender processes of all these projects. He also added that whether it was during the tenure of former minister Ajit Pawar or Sunil Tatkare, the state government would not spare anyone if found guilty.
Project details
There are 148 projects from Vidarbha, including 129 from Amravati division and 19 from Nagpur division. There are 29 projects from Marathwada division and 3 from rest of Maharashtra. There are ten irrigation projects which fall in the tribal areas of the state while there are two drinking water supply schemes which would be inquired in to. The committee would be headed by RV Panse who is in-charge of Hydel Projects in Pune and the committee is asked to submit its report in the next three months. It is unlikely that any of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders would be summoned for inquiry as such. The sources informed that the total money involved in these projects is to the tune of over Rs5,500 crore.
Progress in ACB's inquiry
Meanwhile, Mahajan informed that the anti-corruption bureau's inquiry in to the three irrigation projects in Konkan region was almost complete and charge sheet would be filed in a matter within a fortnight. Mahajan informed that the inquiry in to 12 projects under Konkan Mahamandal was going on and the charge sheet regarding the Kondana, Kaal and Baalganga project is likely to be filed in next fortnight.
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