As the monsoon progresses, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai is finding itself in deep waters. After drawing flak from all quarters for the bad condition of city roads, the civic body now faces a Criminal Investigation Department inquiry into the Rs 152-crore contract for desilting of major storm water drains in the city.

The Maharashtra Minister of State for Urban Development, Mr Bhaskar Jadhav, today announced in the Legislative Assembly that a CID probe would be carried out in to the Rs 152-crore tenders floated for pre-monsoon cleaning of nullahs and storm water drains.

It appears that the MCGM and the contractors are not carrying out the task properly. The contractors, who are repeatedly hired despite failing to complete the previous works, would be blacklisted. There is a suspicion that some contracts were given in places where there was no silt, Mr Jadhav said.

The issue of irregularities in desilting contracts was raised in the Assembly by Congress MLAs Mr Madhu Chavan, Mr Ashok Jadhav and Mr Amin Patel through a calling attention motion.

Mr Madhu Chavan said that an investigation should be launched into the contractors and the MCGM officers who every year award contracts to the same cartel of contractors. Such contractors should be blacklisted, he said.

Mr Patel said tenders worth Rs 152 crore were invited and contractors who had not complied with the deadlines earlier were awarded work.

Agriculture

The State government also announced plans for creation of nine agro-climate zones in the State with each zone having a separate agriculture policy. Making the announcement in the Assembly, the State Minister for Agriculture, Mr Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, said that nine committees led by Vice-Chancellors of the respective Agriculture Universities in that area will advise the State government on boosting farm production.

He also announced a Rs 2,000-crore project with the help of Asian Development Bank and World Bank for upgrading the infrastructure for sale of agriculture products in the State.

Sand mafia

PTI adds: Admitting that illegal sand mining was difficult to stamp out, the Minister of State for Revenue, Mr Prakash Solanke, told the Assembly that stringent provisions of the MCOCA would be invoked against the sand mafia, wherever necessary.

He said sand auction had earned the state exchequer a revenue of Rs 1,051 crore in 2010-11.

“It is true that illegal and unscrupulous elements have entered into this business. Until an alternative is found, sand auction is a good source of revenue and even if the auction is not done, it is difficult to stop illegal dredging,” Mr Solanke said.

According to the minister, 8200 instances of illegal excavation of sand were reported between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011, out of which cases were filed in 633 instances and a penalty of Rs 33 crore imposed. “Only Rs 10 crore was recovered (in penalty),” the Minister said.

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