India Today: Mumbai: Thursday,
April 11, 2013.
Already under
fire over his crass remark on drought situation in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief
Minister Ajit Pawar's troubles have increased after it emerged that he splurged
water on industries at the cost of irrigation.
As water
resources minister of the state, the NCP leader diverted nearly 2,000 million
cusec water to industries, according to information sourced by a petition under
the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
According to
the information accessed through RTI, between 40 to 80 per cent of water of 51
dams was diverted to industries on the recommendations of a high-powered
committee headed by Pawar, who was either water resources minister or finance
minister between 2003 and 2011.
The rampant
diversion badly hit Maharashtra's irrigation potential which led to one of the
worst droughts in the state's history. According to Prayas, the state's
irrigation potential was reduced by about 4 lakh hectares.
Water was
diverted without taking into confidence the affected people, as is mandated by
a state government Act. Pawar's decision also flouted the Centre's water policy
which gave priority to irrigation over industry.
It could be
mentioned that the Opposition has been demanding Pawar's resignation over his
insensitive "urinating in the dam" remark. Even as the deputy chief
minister regretted his statement later, the demands for his removal continue.
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