The Maharashtra state government on Wednesday suspended four engineers in the irrigation department thus displaying its political will to crack down against all those responsible for the financial irregularities in Kondane irrigation project. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has assured all those ministers and officials found guilty in the irrigation scam would be punished. The Rs 327 crore Kondane irrigation project in the district of Raigad in Konkan was executed during the tenure of former water resources minister (NCP) Sunil Tatkare. However, investigation against Tatkare has also begun by the Anti-Corruption Bureau which was given the nod by Fadnavis last week. On Wednesday, suspension against four engineers comes in wake of departmental probe holding the officials guilty. The four officials who were suspended are superintendent engineer Dagdu Shinde, assistant engineer Chandrakant Rithe, executive engineerGiriraj Kishanrao Joshi and sub-divisional engineer Vijay Raghunath Kasat. CM Fadnavis gave the approval to the ministry of Water Resources to carry out suspension following completion of probe against four officials for violating the rules and overlooking the financial irregularities in the Kondane Irrigation projects in Karjat, Raigad district in Konkan region of Maharashtra. The Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan said, "There have been rampant violation of norms which were clearly laid aside for implementing the project." Primary charges against the officials relate to cost escalation of the project from Rs 80.35 crore to Rs 327.62 crore. The decision to raise the dam height to 32.30 meters was taken without seeking the approval from the Competent Financial Authority. Interestingly, departmental inquiry is underway against former water resources secretary D P Shirke along with 45 other engineers. Citing the reasons for the action against the engineers, the minister said, "The permission from the ministry of environment and forest was mandatory for land acquistion which was not adhered during implementing the project. "Similarly, the whooping cost escalation from Rs 80.35 crore to Rs 327 crore for raising the height of the dam also required clearance from the concerned authorities which was violated." Fadnavis had consistently maintained, "There would be no political vendetta. But government will not spare anybody in cases of corruption. All the decisions would be undertaken only after ascertaining the facts." Shortly after taking charge of the government a month ago, Fadnavis has given clearance to ACB for opening inquires against Tatkare, former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar for alleged corruption in irrigation scam. The former minister for public works department Chhagan Bhujbal is facing the ACB probe for financial irregularities in construction of Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi.
