Chandrakant Patil claims collectors' under MCC spell, not providing drought aid

Senior BJP leader-cum-state revenue minister Chandrakant Patil on Friday complained that district officials were not co-operating with him for drought relief work citing code of conduct. Patil alleged that Solapur district collector refused to even meet him citing MCC. Recently, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had given standing instructions to all district collectors to not let MCC impede drought relief work.

Patil criticised that while the Election Commission has notionally relaxed the code of conduct for drought-related works, and ministers are visiting drought affected areas, the collectors are giving them a cold shoulder.

Interestingly, Fadnavis while having a meeting with officials from Parbhani, Osmanabad and Hingoli via audio bridge on Wednesday had reiterated to district collectors that drought relief work shouldn't be impacted.

He further added that the non-cooperation is so pronounced that district collectors and other officials of the district are refusing to accompany the ministers for drought visits. Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, Minister for water resources Girish Mahajan and Minister for animal husbandry and dairy development Mahadev Jankar were also present for the meeting of sub-committee.

Girish Mahajan, water resources minister had earlier complained that officials refused to accompany him when he visited 35 villages in Jalgaon. Officials again quoted the code of conduct as a reason.

"I don't understand what they have done by relaxing the code of conduct for drought relief related work. Of course, Election commission is an autonomous body and I cannot comment on it but tomorrow I am going to Solapur and the district collector has refused to meet me citing code of conduct," said Chandrakant Patil, revenue minister.

Meanwhile, the state has increased the deadline for tenders for repair works of drinking water scheme from May 17 to June 15. The sub-committee today reviewed drought situation and the minister maintained that there are no major issues in rehabilitation and relief works. He added that there is no need for providing drinking water by deploying water trains in any part of the state. He however told that drought relief work is monitored on continuous basis by forming a war room at his office at Mantralaya the state secretariat.

Water Woes

• CM informed officials and district collectors from Parbhani, Osmanabad and Hingoli that drought relief work should not suffer due to MCC
• Chandrakant Patil claims officials refused to accompany the ministers for drought visits citing election code of conduct
• State has increased deadline for tenders of repair works of drinking water scheme from May 17 to June 15