Won’t tolerate apathy, delay in Gosikhurd project: Gadkari

Nagpur: Expressing dismay over the inordinate delay of over three decades in completion of Gosikhurd dam for one or other reasons, Union surface transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday warned the concerned officials that any apathy or delay in completion of project work wouldn’t be tolerated.
Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray also visited the project on Wainganga river on January 6 and assured to complete it within three years after taking a review of its ongoing works.
Reviewing the project in presence of Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) officials and Bhandara MP Sunil Mendhe, Gadkari further cautioned them of instituting an inquiry if they found to be unnecessarily delaying the project work, during his proposed meeting with central water resources minister in Delhi in a couple of weeks.
Without naming anyone, the heavyweight minister blamed administrative apathy and political interference that led to the inordinate delay. “This project has the capacity to usher in a change in the lives of farmers from this region. When I was looking after the charge of the ‘Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation’ department, I took a lead to bring funds for its completion. I also took regular reviews to expedite its incomplete works. However, the delay in its completion due to various reasons is paining me now,” he said.
The city MP pointed out that a lot of work was remaining to be completed regarding the land acquisition and rehabilitation of project affected persons (PAPs). Around 495 hectares of land for the project was yet to be acquired which included 150 hectare that will go under the submerged area, he said.
“Tendering and re-tendering of the same work should immediately be stopped. Instead, the VIDC officials should start issuing tenders of approved works and focus on their early completion. In my scheduled meeting with the Union water resources minister, all the concerned officials from the state and centre would be invited to further discuss the project and expedite incomplete works,” he said.
Pointing out that funds released by the central government for national projects can’t be diverted for any other purpose, Gadkari told officials to remove any confusion in this regard.
After the meeting, divisional commissioner Sanjeev Kumar assured the minister that he will issue directives to collectors from Nagpur and Bhandara and other places to expedite the land acquisition process and other works.
Accorded national status on February 20, 2009, the Gosikhurd Indira Sagar National Project has eight major components. It included construction of a dam on Wainganaga river having capacity of 40.46 TMC up to its full level of 245.5m. Its components included — Dam and spillway, right bank canal (RBC), left bank canal (LBC), Asolamendha tank, along with Nerla, Mokhabardi, Ambhora and Tekepar lift irrigation schemes (LIS).