The state Cabinet has decided to scrap the tenders of 94 ongoing works in 14 irrigation projects in the Konkan and Nashik divisions, including 81 works of the Gosekhurd project in the Vidarbha region. The cost of all these projects is Rs 3,295 crore. The state will call fresh bids for these projects and will make it mandatory for the contractors to complete the works before June 2019.
The projects have been under the Anti-Corruption Bureau’s (ACB) scanner owing to irregularities. The water resources department had suggested that tenders for works that had public interest litigations filed against them in court should be scrapped, and the state Cabinet approved this plan on Tuesday. “The projects have not been cancelled, but the tenders of the existing contractors have been cancelled. Fresh tenders will be invited for the projects,” said Girish Mahajan, minister for water resources.
There are 12 projects in Konkan division, which are worth Rs 1,515 crore; one in Nashik division, which is worth '189 crore; and 81 works under the Gosekhurd irrigation project, which are worth Rs 1,600 crore.
“All projects in Konkan division have been allotted to FA contractor, which is under the ACB’s scanner and the owner of the firm has been booked by the police. Our department’s officials were not ready to work with this contractor,” said Mr Mahajan.
“Officers feared that they would get into trouble due to the corrupt contactor, hence we decided to scrap the ongoing works,” he added.
When the new bids will be called for these works, contractors have to complete the work in time bound manner, he added. At present all these 94 works are completely stopped.
Meanwhile, social activist Anjali Damania is unhappy with the government’s decision. She said, “Most of the projects were unviable or unnecessary. The cost benefit ratio was beyond the permissible limits.
Designs were faulty and with an annual budget of only Rs 7,000 crore, they need to be prioritised.” “This government should first consider all these points before showing haste of retendering. They should not go the Nationalist Congress Party way,” she said.
The projects where tenders for works have been scrapped are Balganga, Kalu, Shirsinge, Gadgadi, Shil, Shalu, Susari, Gadnadi, Kondane, Chanera, Jamda and Kal (All from Konkan division); Kikawi (Nashik) and Gosekhurd (Vidarbha).
