State gives CM’s wife 3,000 for ‘loss of crop’

Mumbai: The state’s crisishit relief and rehabilitation department led by senior Congress leader Patangrao Kadam has paid a compensation of Rs 3,000 to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan’s wife, Satwasheela, for loss of crop in the wake of the worst ever drought in western Maharashtra in 2011-12.

“The survey on loss of crop owing to drought was completed recently. As per the recommendations of a committee headed by the collector, we have paid Rs 3,000 to Mrs Chavan, as well as her mother’s brother. Mrs Chavan is among the 4,000-odd farmers who have been paid the compensation. The amount has been credited in the accounts of the farmers,’’ a high-ranking bureaucrat told TOI on Sunday.

According to the bureaucrat, Chavan’s wife owns 2.5 hectares of agriculture land in Bedag village in Sangli. More than 10,000 villages involving 4,000 farmers were affected by the drought. “The relief and rehabilitation department has so far disbursed Rs 1.38 crore; the compensation depends on whether the land is irrigated or not,’’ he said.

The bureaucrat made it clear that Satwasheela Chavan had never made an application, but the amount was credited in her account with the district central cooperative bank as a routine procedure.

Min Kadam accused of bias
Mumbai: The state’s relief and rehabilitation department has credited Rs 3,000 into the account of the ‘droughthit’ wife of the CM. Elaborating on the procedure, the bureaucrat said that when the farmers complained that owing to drought there was an adverse impact on the crops, officials conducted an extensive survey of the entire district as per the laid down procedure. After they confirmed that there was indeed a loss of crop and the yield was less than 50%, a general policy decision was taken to grant financial aid to the aggrieved farmers.

While minister Patangrao Kadam has been generous in granting compensation to Sangli farmers, his department paid a meagre compensation of Rs 70 to a farmer in Selu tehsil of the suicide-prone Wardha in Vidarbha. “We feel when it comes to extending financial aid for farmers, the policy should be impartial. But it seems Kadam is partial and has a soft corner for farmers in western Maharashtra,’’ Kishore Tiwari, a farmers’ leader, said. — Prafulla Marpakwar
Courtesy:
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Irrigation Scam: 7 of 10 major Marathwada dams dry up; crisis to go on for a few yrs

Overall water stock dips to 6%; local administration out of funds to supply water and fodder

MUMBAI: With close to two months left for the monsoon to arrive, the usable water stock (live stock) in seven large dams in Marathwada region has already been exhausted, which has set off alarm bells in the state’s corridors of power.

The average water storage from the 10 big projects in Marathwada has come down to a record low of 6%, as per figures released on Monday.

Of the 76 talukas in the eight districts of Marathwada, 39 talukas face drought. Of the 4,000 tankers that supply drinking water across the state, 1,807 are deployed in Marathwada.

The administration in Marathwada, which has sought Rs245 crore from the state government to deal with the drought situation, has now started utilising dead water stock of Jayakwadi dam. Dead water stock is not used as its usage can deplete the region’s

ground water levels. Water from Jayakwadi is supplied to Aurangabad, Jalna, Ambad and Gevrai cities, which need 52.50 MLD water a month. The dead stock is likely to last for the next four months.

“The crisis does not end even if it rains sufficiently this year as filling the dam over its dead storage level is quite difficult. Drawing water from dead stock is dangerous and its consequences are long-lasting. It means that the water scarcity problem in the region will continue for the next couple of years,” said JK Banthia state chief secretary.

REELING UNDER DROUGHT
The water supply in Jalna, worse affected district of Marathwada, has dropped to once a fortnight. It is once in four days in Osmanabad, according to local MLAs. Families in Jalna end up spending nearly R5000 a month on water, including packaged water.

Elected representatives cry foul play by the tanker lobby as they manipulate on the number of trips of tankers supplying water.

39 of the 76 talukas in Marathwada are reeling under the drought. Administration has estimated the cost of water and fodder supply for three months Rs 245 crore.
Courtesy:
24 Apr 2013
Hindustan Times (Mumbai)
Surendra P Gangan surendra.gangan@hindustantimes.com
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Irrigation scam: HC nod for CBI probe

NAGPUR: In a major jolt to the Maharashtra government, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court has cleared the way for hearing petitions that have demanded a CBI or court-monitored probe into the mega irrigation scam in the state.

A division bench on Wednesday rejected the preliminary objections raised by the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) questioning the maintainability of two public interest litigations for seeking a CBI probe into the reported financial irregularities and corruption in irrigation projects across Vidarbha without making a representation to the state government or filing a criminal complaint case.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has slammed the VIDC for large-scale financial impropriety in executing these projects.

Citing the CAG report, Jan Manch in its PIL pointed out that within seven months in 2009, the cost of 38 VIDC projects escalated by Rs20,050.06 crore and that 30 of these projects had got approvals in four days. In its affidavit, the VIDC admitted to cost escalations, but pegged the figure at Rs17,701 crore.

Another petition filed by social workers Mohan Karemore, Amit Khot and Bharti Dabhadkar has questioned the VIDC’s role in unjustified cost escalations.

In December 2012, the government announced that a special investigation team headed by former secretary Madhav Chitale would look into the scam. It is expected to submit its report in six months.
Courtesy:
25 Apr 2013
Hindustan Times (Mumbai)
Pradip Kumar Maitra pradipmaitra@hindustantimes.com
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Dam Scam: Ajit Pawar diverted dam water to industry

State Authority, Affected People Not Consulted
Mumbai: Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar might have apologized for his callous “urinating-in-the-dam” statement that belittled the tragedy of Maharashtra’s farmers facing the worst drought in decades. But his apathy for them predates the blunder by years.

Between 2003 and 2011, as the water resources minister and then finance minister, Pawar chaired or partook in a high-powered committee that diverted almost 2,000 million cubic metre (mcm) of water meant for irrigation to industries.

Equivalent to the storage capacity of Maharashtra’s largest dam Koyna, the large-scale redirection from 51 dams reduced the state’s irrigation potential by about four lakh hectares—an area about nine times the size of Greater Mumbai. This coincided with, as repeatedly highlighted by TOI, criminal cost escalations of many dam projects in the state.

According to information collated by Prayas, a Pune-based NGO, the committee allowed 40% to over 80% of water in 23 projects to be diverted to industries.

From Hetwane dam in Raigad district, 88% water was rerouted. From Amba and Pavna dams in Pune district, 81% water was allotted away from irrigation and to industries.

The decisions to funnel away water meant for farmers were taken, according to Prayas, without consultations with the affected people and—as is mandated under the Maharashtra Water Regulatory Authority Act of 2005—with the Maharashtra Water Regulatory Authority.

FARMERS SUFFER AT NETAS' HANDS
In 2002, the Centre amended its National Water Policy, giving top priority to irrigation and drinking purposes, followed by hydro power and ecology. Water for industries came way down the priority list.

In 2003, Maharashtra announced its Water Policy, which gave top priority to drinking, cattle usage, refrigeration and industries. The same year, a high-powered committee (HPC) was formed by state water resources dept headed by Ajit Pawar, prescribing principles for diverting water for nonagriculture purpose.

In 2005, state introduced Maharashtra Water Regulatory Authority Act, 2005. The Authority had to be consulted before any decision to divert water was taken. However, HPC never consulted the Authority, or the public, and betweeen 2003 and 2011, diverted almost 2,000 McM water from 51 dams Panel disbanded as its decisions to divert water came under scrutiny

The committee’s decisions were in line with the state water policy which gives preference to industries while apportioning water—but disregarded the Central water policy that sets irrigation as a higher priority than industries. This partiality continued until 2010, when charges were made in the Bombay high court of illegalities in water diversion.

As protests erupted around the state, the government sought to legalize the high-powered committee’s decisions by inserting various clauses in the Water Regulatory Authority Act through an ordinance. It was able to ram the bill through the Lower House on April 14, 2011 at 1.30am, when barely any members were present. However, the Upper House rejected the bill, causing great embarrassment to the government.

Faced with defeat, the chief minister disbanded the highpowered committee and assured that decisions on water diversion would be taken by the cabinet, not the committee. The new resolve briefly led to heightened friction between the Congress and the NCP.

“This is not a debate on industries versus agriculture. It is about how water meant for farmers was diverted without public consultation,” said a Prayas member. The NGO will release a report on water diversion later this month.

In a paper published last year, Prayas said that Maharashtra’s 2003 water policy, in a first for any Indian state, assigned “higher priority” in water allocation to industrial use as compared to irrigation.

The state then issued a government resolution instituting a ministerial-level committee. Called high-powered committee, it was headed by Pawar in his capacity as water resources minister and included five ministers from the finance, water supply and sanitation, industry, and agriculture departments.

The state empowered the committee to decide on allotting and reserving water for non-irrigation users, including private industries. The state water resources department, meanwhile, issued a circular, stating that up to 25% of water diversion from dam storage would be cleared by chief engineer. Any diversion above 25% of the limit was to be referred to the high-powered committee.

In eight years, the committee held 21 meetings. Official records show that the agriculture minister’s attendance was barely 35%. The Prayas representative said, “The meetings were marked by poor attendance. Except for Pawar, other members recorded poor attendance. Whenever water is to be diverted for non-irrigation purpose, the agriculture minister must be present. However,his attendance was 35%. Other members recorded attendance of 50%.”

In 2010, two petitions were filed in the HC, alleging illegalities in the process of water diversion from Upper Wardha dam to the Sophia Power Company and from Hetwane dam to industries. The court allowed diversion from Upper Wardha.

Times View: Can’t blame weather for dry dams I t would be naive in the twenty-first century to blame the rains for our dry dams. The blame must be apportioned between netas and babus who frame policies and then tinker with those policies so much that what happens on the ground is markedly different from what is originally planned. Delays in construction of dams, cost overruns and diversion of water meant for irrigation to industries – all accompanied by talk of money changing hands at every step – form a part of this grand tinkering that Indian decision-makers have perfected to an art.

IMPROPER FLOW | A major step towards legislating the process of water management, the Maharashtra Water Regulatory Authority Act, 2005, provided equal rights to all landowners in the command areas of dams and empowered the Maharashtra Water Regulatory Authority to take decisions pertaining to water usage. Yet, the high-powered committee never consulted the regulator while diverting water meant for irrigation to non-agricultural activities
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IRRIGATION SCAM: PARCHED STATE: Release funds for irrigation projects early: Guv to Centre

Mumbai: Maharashtra governor K Sankaranarayanan has urged the Centre to restructure and prioritize its assistance for crucial irrigation projects under the accelerated irrigation benefit programme so that they could be completed on time.

“Central assistance is received in the last quarter of the financial year. This hampers the progress of the projects. Funds are released late because of the long procedure of submitting continuation proposals for each project. I suggest that 70% of the funds be released as the first instalment in April or May on submission of utilization certificate. The balance amount can be given after scrutiny of the continuation proposal,” Sankaranarayanan said during a conference of governors chaired by President Pranab Mukherjee.

The proposal mooted by Sankaranarayanan assumes significance in view of the unprecedented drought in parts of the state’s Marathwada and Vidarbha regions.

“Last year, we submitted proposals seeking central assistance of Rs 2,400 crore, but received only Rs 192 crore. The entire central assistance scheme needs to be restructured,” a senior bureaucrat told TOI.

The governor has also urged the Centre to enhance the powers of the state government to grant environment and forest clearances. “A large number of irrigation projects in the Vidarbha region are stuck for want of environment and forest clearances. Powers of the state government may be enhanced for projects involving up to 20 hectares of land,” said Sankaranarayanan.

A senior Congress minister said that chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar must impress on the Centre the need for more financial assistance for drought-hit Maharashtra. “Union ministers from Maharashtra must put pressure on the Centre to release more funds. Compared to other states, meagre funds are released for Maharashtra,” he said.

He said that instead of waiting for the central team to assess the drought situation in the state, Pawar should submit his own assessment and raise a demand for financial assistance. “Maharashtra should get at least Rs 2,500 crore as interim aid from the Centre. A central team should then undertake a fresh assessment and decide further quantum of the aid,” he said.

He urged the chief minister to set up a special cell comprising senior bureaucrats in Mantralaya to monitor drought the situation across in the state on a daily basis. “The cell with interact with collectors and chief executive officers of all the affected districts,” he said.

Give temporary ration cards to drought migrants in city, says NCP chief
Mumbai: Claiming that the state was witnessing its worst-ever drought, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar on Thursday said Mumbai must lend a helping hand to affected areas in the Marathwada region. Suggesting that more people will migrate from parched regions to Mumbai as the crisis worsens, Pawar demanded that such citizens be issued temporary ration cards.

Pawar made the statements during an all MP meeting convened by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan. Of the 60 MPs from the state, only 37 attended. While making a presentation of drought relief measures undertaken by the state, Chavan said that a big budgetary allocation will be made to provide water and ensure survival of animals in drought-hit belts in the next fiscal. Pawar said there should be no politicization while transporting water from water-sufficient areas to water-scarce belts. He said the government needs to encourage villagers and youth to set up fodder camps in western Maharashtra.

BJP MP Gopinath Munde said the government should demand a package of Rs 5,000 crore from the Centre to tackle drought. TNN
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SCAM IN MAKING: PARCHED STATE: Chavan seeks addl 2,270cr drought fund

New Delhi: Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has sought an additional financial assistance of Rs 2,270 crore from the Centre to overcome the drought crisis in the state. Chavan, who was in Delhi since January 28, has made the demand to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The CM has also sought concessions in time period and funds provided by the Centre for fodder camps in drought-hit areas.

He also met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and union petroleum minister Veerappa Moily with a demand to remove fishermen and state transport buses from the category of “bulk consumers” of diesel.

Chavan sought lifting of moratorium for port development and certain other activities in the Sindhudurg belt. He also reiterated the state’s demand for withdrawal of a union environment ministry’s order imposing restrictions on high-rise activity in coastal areas in Mumbai.
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पुणे विभाग, मराठवाड्यात गंभीर स्थिती : असा दुष्काळ मी आयुष्यात पाहिला नाही!

नवी दिल्ली, दि. ३० (वृत्तसंस्था) - महाराष्ट्रात मराठवाडा आणि पुणे विभागात दुष्काळाची गंभीर परिस्थिती आहे. असा दुष्काळ मी आयुष्यात पाहिलेला नाही, असे उद्गार खुद्द केंद्रीय कृषिमंत्री शरद पवार यांनी काढले. दरम्यान, या वर्षी देशात पुरेसे २५ कोटी टन इतके अन्नधान्याचे उत्पादन होईल, अशी माहिती पवार यांनी दिली.

पवार म्हणाले, महाराष्ट्रात दुष्काळाची परिस्थिती गंभीर आहे. विशेषत: मराठवाडा आणि पुणे विभागात पिकांना दुष्काळाचा मोठा फटका बसला आहे. पिण्याच्या पाण्याचा प्रश्‍न गंभीर आहे. काही भागांत १४ दिवसांनी एकदा पिण्याच्या पाण्याचा पुरवठा होत आहे. त्यामुळे परिस्थिती खूप गंभीर आहे. असा दुष्काळ मी आयुष्यात पाहिलेला नाही.

उत्पादन २५ कोटी टनांपेक्षा जास्त
२०१२-१३ या वर्षात देशात अन्नधान्याचे उत्पादन २५ कोटी टनांपेक्षा जास्त होईल. गेल्या वर्षीच्या २५.९ कोटी टनांएवढे नसले तरी देशाची गरज भागविण्यासाठी पुरेसे आहे, असे पवार यांनी सांगितले. खरीप हंगामातील तांदळाच्या खरेदीत दहा टक्क्यांनी वाढ झाली आहे.

त्यामुळे साठवणुकीच्या मुद्द्याकडे लक्ष द्यायला हवे, असे ते म्हणाले. रब्बी हंगामात पिकांखालील क्षेत्र कमी आहे, पण प्रमुख पीक असलेल्या गव्हाची स्थिती उत्तम आहे. पंजाब, हरयाणा आणि उत्तर प्रदेशातील पश्‍चिम भागात गहू पिकाचे क्षेत्र अधिक आहे.

गेल्या वर्षीइतके ९.३९ कोटी टन गहू उत्पादन अपेक्षित आहे. कडधान्यांचेही क्षेत्र अधिक असल्याचे पवार यांनी सांगितले.
साभार
http://www.saamana.com/2013/January/31/Link/rashtriya5.htm

Scam In Making : Centre releases 778 cr to tackle drought in state

Mumbai: Coming to the state’s rescue, the Centre on Thursday released Rs 778 crore as drought fund for urgent use in relief and mitigation measures. Several parts of the state are reeling under unprecedented drought situation. Last year. Maharashtra had asked the Centre for Rs 3,400 crore in view of the alarming drought condition in western Maharashtra, Marathwada and other parts of the state.

However, the opposition criticized the state and the Centre for not doing enough to help the affected. “I had asked the state why the Centre was releasing help in piecemeal when urgent help is required. What has the state done to push its case?” asked leader of opposition in the council Vinod Tawde.

The opposition demanded the state no longer depends on the Centre for help and releases the remaining amount immediately for the drought-affected regions.

The state is suffering from one of its worst droughts since 2003, with as many as 6,000 villages in 15 districts being worst affected. The state had officially declared drought in 123 talukas to seek Centre’s assistance.

‘Don’t hold exams in affected belt schools’
The NCP has asked the government to promote students (class I to IX) in drought-hit areas without conducting exams. NCP’s student wing chief Nilesh Raut has raised the demand before CM Prithviraj Chavan and deputy CM Ajit Pawar. “Families might have to be evacuated and relocated in certain drought-hit areas in April and May. Many affected students could lose an academic year if exams were held,” he said. Raut has also asked the government to waive off exam fee for the current academic year and exam and admission fees for the next year. Meanwhile, the CM visited drought-hit areas in Satara. TNN

Tax for water bottling units? 
An NGO working in drought-hit areas has demanded that water-intensive bottling plants pay additional tax to help raise scarcity funds. TNN
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