Author(s): Aparna Pallavi 
Date:Jul 1, 2014

Newspaper and TV reports, in last few months, have made allegations that quality of construction is poor

imageA check dam in India (Photo: Sandeep Das)The Maharashtra government has ordered an investigation to probe the allegations of corruption involved in building of cement check dams in the state.

The minister of employment guarantee and water conservation, after meeting the officials from ministry, has ordered a government resolution directing four investigation teams to probe the case. The teams comprise of officials from ranks of deputy commissioners, executive engineers and vigilance officers at division-level.

Though the investigation will primarily focus on Sangola, Maan and Atpadi tehsils in the Solapur, Satara and Sangli districts respectively, a few other areas have also been picked for probing as the areas are also drought-prone districts and a fair amount of construction of cement check-dams has been carried out around them. The districts include Beed, Aurangabad and Usmanabad.

According to the resolution issued by the Water Conservation Department, about 5,000 cement check dams have been constructed in the state since 2011-12. In the last few weeks, local newspapers and TV channels have highlighted the inferior construction work of check dams and talked about possible corruption. The minister has ordered the teams to hold the investigation between July 1 and 5, 2014 and submit a report by July 10.

The investigation is to scrutinise the compliance by authorities with the guidelines issued for construction of check-dams and is based on an order, dated November 12, 2013, highlighting the concerns raised by the media and complaints received by the district agriculture officials.

 

Read more here –  http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/maharashtra-orders-corruption-probe-construction-check-dams