Alleging a scam of over ₹7,500 crore in works done under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ flagship programme Jalyukta Shivar, aimed at increasing ground water level and ensuring a perennial water source for agriculture, Congress on Friday demanded a judicial inquiry into it.
More rainfall
As per rainfall data, the State received 70% average rainfall in 2014 and 59.4% in 2015. However, reports from Groundwater Surveys and Development Agency (GSDA) of the same years shows a drop in ground water level by one meter in 5,976 villages of 194 tehsils and 1,3571 villages of 262 tehsils respectivey. “In 2018, the State received 74.3% rainfall. Despite this, water level has dropped by one meter in 13,984 villages. This is the situation after four years of the Jalyukta Shivar scheme, which proves that work was not done satisfactorily and money was spent wrongly,” said Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant.
The government, in an attempt to hide their incompetence and nexus with contractors, is blaming the drop in water level on less rainfall and claiming that farmers used more water than average, he said. “If farmers had pumped more water for agriculture, how come khariff crops were destroyed?” asked Mr. Sawant.
Meanwhile, the drought announcement is likely on Wednesday. Additional Secretary (Relief and Rehabilitation), Medha Gadgil on Friday said that the ground truthing excercise — the last step taken before declaring drought, has begun in 180 tehsils. “We should be getting the final reports by Monday. The decision to announce drought will be taken afterwards. As of now we have announced drought-like situation in these areas,” she said.