Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Acting upon the order of the Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has allocated a fund of Rs 27 lakh for the repair and cleaning of the Thatte Tank (situated in Begumpura) and the aqueduct (Naher) supplying water to it.
Earlier, as per the high court’s order released on October 6, 2020, it is the responsibility of ASI and the municipal corporation to clean the tank and the ‘naher’ regularly before monsoon, but both government agencies failed to abide by the order. Hence, Anant Vinayak Thatte, through Adv. Satish Talekar, filed a contempt petition. The petitioner stated that the ASI had submitted an assurance of repairing and cleaning the tank and the aqueduct regularly, but it had not taken any steps in this regard. Hence, the bench had directed the Director General (ASI) to attend the hearing or provide the funds for the purpose.
However, when the petition came up for hearing before the bench, comprising Justice R. G. Awchat and Justice Sanjay Deshmukh, it was told that the ASI had allocated the required funds. It was also stated on behalf of the DG (ASI) that the office will invite tenders for the said works in the future. The next hearing on the petition is scheduled to be held on January 15.
Adv Pradnya Talekar and Adv Umakant Aawte pleaded on behalf of the petitioner; Adv A G Talhar represented the Central Government; and Adv A P Bhandari voiced on behalf of the municipal corporation.