The row between an executive engineer of the Irrigation Department posted in Etawah and a Bahujan Samaj Party MLA, who had threatened to rock the Mayawati Government was “amicably” settled on Monday when the warring parties decided to bury the hatchet even before the inquiry into the episode could be completed.
The probe had been ordered by the Chief Minister, Mayawati on Sunday.
Both the engineer, Shivdas and the MLA from Lakhna ( reserved ) constituency, Bhimrao Ambedkar submitted in writing before the inquiry officer and Principal Secretary, Irrigation, KS Atoria here on Monday that they wanted to forget the episode and continue with their work.
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The settlement of the dispute was announced at a Press conference by the Additional Cabinet Secretary, Vijay Shankar Pandey here. Mr. Pandey said notwithstanding the truce between the engineer and the MLA, inquiry would continue into the matter with the probe officer given time to draw his conclusion.
Dismayed at the conduct of the ruling party MLA, Mr. Shivdas, who is an executive engineer in the tube well division of the Irrigation Department in Etawah, had sent in his resignation to the Chief Minister by registered post on last Saturday, a copy of which was sent to Irrigation Minister, Naseemuddin Siddiqui.
In his resignation, the executive engineer accused Mr. Ambedkar of threatening him with dire consequences and using abusive language. The dispute between the two was attributed to the installation of a tube well in an area of the MLA’s liking. The engineer reportedly expressed his inability to comply with the MLA’s demand.
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Mr. Shivdas’ allegations were followed by a denial by Mr. Ambedkar.
The engineer was later reported “missing” from Etawah with some reports saying that he had gone to Kanpur to attend his son’s wedding, while others stated that he had gone “underground and had vowed never to return to Etawah”.
However, in his written submission on Monday, Mr. Shivdas retracted from his earlier statement. Now, he does not want to quit his post and wants to work in Etawah. According to the Additional Cabinet Secretary, the executive engineer said that he had resigned in disgust after the MLA lost his cool over a matter pertaining to the installation of a tube well in his constituency.
Mr. Pandey said the engineer further clarified that he had gone to Kanpur to participate in his son’s wedding on Sunday.
Likewise, the MLA, Mr. Ambedkar in his written submission expressed regret over his outburst and said that it should not have taken place, the Additional Cabinet Secretary added.