Project-affected villagers pitch for technical and financial audit It took 37 years to complete the Rajiv Sagar project on the tributary of the Wainganga river in the Godawari basin. The project, a joint venture between the Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh governments, was started in 1975, with an approved cost of Rs 23 crore. However, this rose to a whopping Rs 1,407 crore. While Maharashtra contributed Rs 749 crore, Rs 658 crore came from Madhya Pradesh. Since the beginning, the project has been marred by inordinate delays in securing forest and environment clearances, strong opposition from villagers from both states, unavailability of adequate funds, the attitude of contractors and the policies of the water resources department. On several occasions, the project was in the news due to a tussle between the Bhandra district authorities and villagers over compensation issues. Through the years, the name of the project, initially Hattimara, was changed to Sitekasa, Bawanthadi and finally Rajiv Sagar. Curiously, cracks have already appeared on the 26-kilometre Bawanthadi canal, even before the formal inauguration, raising questions on the quality of the work. Now, the canal would have to be reconstructed before water is discharged to 21 villages. Trying to explain the reasons behind the shoddy construction, a Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) official was at a loss for words. On condition of anonymity, a senior engineer said a probe had already been ordered by the Maharashtra government into the matter. On delays in the project, the VIDC official said, “It was beyond our control. The Central Water Commission had approved the project on April 24, 1989. At its 43rd meeting on May 18, 1989, the technical advisory committee on irrigation and flood control for multipurpose projects had said the project was fit to be approved. The Ministry of Environment and Forests had approved the rehabilitation and resettlement plan in October 1990. And, at its 104th meeting in May 2010, the technical advisory committee had revised the project cost to Rs 1,407.19 crore.” Gajanan Suryavanshi, who was hired by one of the major contractors for a few years during the development of the project, argued cost escalation and awarding contracts at high rates shouldn’t be overlooked. “A nexus between politicians, VIDC officials, officials of the water resources development and contractors was evident. Some contracts were granted to those who greased palms by promising to deliver 20-30 per cent higher project works,” he said. Suryavanshi, now engaged in helping project-affected villagers, also blamed the district administration and police authorities for being high-handed. “How can project-affected villagers live with a compensation of Rs 40,000 to Rs 1 lakh a hectare, especially when inflation is rising fast? There is lack of will and commitment to address these issues,” he said. Padmakar Margade, a villager affected by the project, has pitched for a technical and financial audit of the Bawanthadi dam, as well as an audit of 37 other irrigation projects in the Vidarbha region, which are under the government’s scanner. “Those responsible for cost escalation and inordinate delays should be booked, as taxpayers’ money is involved,” he said. Kailash Borkar, another villager, said authorities didn’t carry out proper research on wildlife in the submerged area. He added while a farmer faced legal action if he killed wild animals that destroyed his fields, irrigation officials responsible for the death of wild animals due to submergence went scot-free, as no action was initiated against them under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act. The VIDC official, however, argued the project had a command area of 55,000 hectares and all the farmers in this region would benefit from the project. With sufficient water in the command area, the farmers might shift to sugarcane and banana. While bed level of the dam is 318 metres, the height of the dam is 348 metres. S K Chandra, sub-engineer of the Madhya Pradesh irrigation department, said the Bawanthadi dam’s reservoir level was estimated at 344.40 metres, with a top bund level of 348.65 metres. As of today, the water level stands at 338 metres. “The water discharge by canals for irrigation would begin next year. In Maharashtra, the water discharge would be 22 cubic metres per second, while in Madhya Pradesh, it would be 22.75 cubic metres per second,” he added. This is the last of a five-part series on what went wrong in Maharashtra