Yet another irrigation controversy, IAC complains to CM

Irregularities in the construction of a small dam in Pahur, located in Roha, Raigad district, estimated to cost Rs. 13.23 crore, in the home town of water resources minister Sunil Tatkare, has reached the ears of chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.

Irregularities in the construction of a small dam in Pahur, located in Roha, Raigad district, estimated to cost Rs. 13.23 crore, in the home town of water resources minister Sunil Tatkare, has reached the ears of chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.

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Members of India Against Corruption (IAC), an NGO that is fighting against the alleged irregularities and corruption in the state, met chief minister Chavan last week to submit a complaint against the dam.

The IAC’s complaint pointed to the forcible acquisition of fertile land, contempt of court and cost escalations in the dam. Some of the affected villagers of Pahur will now join the petition filed by the NGO against Kondhane and other dams in the high court.

The administration had given its approval to build the dam, which would be restricted to rocky areas, at a cost of Rs27 lakh in 1978. The new administrative approval again restricting the dam to rocky areas came in 2006, when the project cost was Rs4.73 crore. However, in 2007, officials from the water resources department told the villagers that the dam would submerge their fertile land. Villagers claimed that when they refused to part with their land, the officials made them sign on blank papers. They claimed they were coerced into parting with their land and were paid 1/100th of the compensation amount in return.

“While the ready reckoner value of the land is Rs. 11 lakh an acre, the villagers were paid Rs. 26,400. Forty-five of the 107 villagers accepted the proposal after being threatened by NCP leaders,” the IAC has said.

“As it is a small dam, it will not grab headlines. But, it shows the high-handedness and corruption in the department. Acquiring fertile farmland for irrigation purposes and to generate jobs, as stated on paper, is a farce. The dam was approved to benefit the contractor-official-political nexus,” said Anjali Damania, activist.

Damania said the local court had, in two separate orders in 2009 and 2011, asked the department to stop work on the project. However, they went ahead with the work. Moreover, in March 2011, the cost of the project was increased to Rs13.23 crore.

Sources in the CM’s office said Chavan had received the complaint on Friday.