In a blow to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) that controlled the water resources and irrigation portfolios during the 15-year tenure of the Congress-NCP dispensation, the State government on Tuesday decided to scrap 94 tenders in 14 irrigation projects, currently under the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) scanner.
The decision, taken at a State Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, comes even as at least two dams — Temghar in Pune and Tarali in Satara district — have developed cracks, leading to a leakage of thousands of litres and threatening the survival of villages around them.
“All the legal requirements have been completed before taking the decision to scrap the tenders, and the Water Resources Department has been asked to take further decisions,” a cabinet note said. The tenders to be scrapped are related to 12 projects in Konkan division, one in Nashik division, and 81 in Gosikhurd, Vidarbha. The ACB is conducting an open inquiry into the 12 projects — Balganga, Kalu, Shirshinge, Gadgadi, Sheel, Shai, Susasri, Gadnadi, Kondane Chanera, Jamda and Kaal — taking into account transfer of forest land, land acquisition and rehabilitation. The tender for Kikawai irrigation project in Nashik, promoted by the Godavari-Marathawada Irrigation Development Corporation, will also be scrapped.
The ACB is also conducting an inquiry into the irregularities in the Gosikhurd projects. The Vadnere Committee, which investigated the irrigation scam, had exposed several irregularities in the tendering process. The tenders worth more than Rs. 1 crore will be scrapped as per the provisions of the Indian Contract Act, 1972.
“Departmental inquiries have been ordered against officials connected with the projects. Though the government has provided additional funds and tried to speed up the land acquisition, due to various inquiries, there wasn’t sufficient progress in the projects,” said a senior government official.
The cabinet also granted revised administrative approval to the Gosikhurd projects at a cost of Rs. 18,494.57 crore. Constructed on the Vainganga river in Bhandara district, it is the only national project in Maharashtra with 90 per cent financial assistance from the Centre. The project was first granted administrative approval on November 1, 2007 at a cost of Rs. 5,659.10 crore.
