''Substandard quality'' work done under ''Jalyukta Shivar'': Patil

The work carried out under the water conservation scheme 'Jalyukta Shivar' by the previous BJP-led government in Maharashtra was of "substandard quality", a minister said on Friday.

Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil said conservation work carried out under the scheme is eligible for inquiry. 'Jalyukta Shivar' was the flagship water conservation scheme of the Devendra Fadnavis government aimed at making Maharashtra drought-free.

The project involved deepening and widening of streams, construction of cement and earthen stop dams, work on nullahs and digging of farm ponds. "Following the demands from people, it is now being felt that the water conservation work carried out under the Jalyukta Shivar scheme is eligible for inquiry.

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"For the last two years, there have been complaints and reports that the work carried out under the scheme was of substandard quality," Patil said. He, however, said the ruling coalition, consisting of the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress, does not want to become an 'inquiry government'.

"If some wrong decisions have been taken, appropriate actions will be initiated by the departments concerned. But the government will not act out of grudge," the NCP minister said. Patil also clarified that the state government has not given orders suspending any of the schemes started by the previous government.

"The water conservation work (under Jalyukta Shivar) is still going on and no work has been stopped. We have not suspended any of the schemes started by the previous government," he said. Patil, however, said Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray did stop some work of the previous government under the water conservation scheme.

"Just two months ahead of the elections, the previous government, keeping the polls in mind, allocated some funds in the scheme for their party workers' convenience. The Chief Minister suspended such work," he said. Asked whether the Jalyukta Shivar will continue, he avoided a direct reply and said water conservation efforts will go on.

"Jalyukta Shivar was a sugar-coated word, but the work that was carried out under the scheme was of substandard quality and complaints in this regard were raised by us time to time," he said. Asked if the government is mulling to come out with a 'white paper' on Jalyukta Shivar, he again avoided a direct reply. "It is not that the things done by the previous government will come out through white paper, they can come out through various other papers also," Patil quipped.

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