Contractor assures of completing new water scheme by December 2024

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The new water supply scheme contractor, on Tuesday, submitted an undertaking in the Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court stating that the project will be completed by December 2024. However, the member secretary of the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP, the nodal agency of the scheme) Abhishek Krishna also submitted his say stating that reviewing the status of ongoing important works like ‘Coffer Dam’ for the ‘Jackwell’ and other technical works, the project will be completed by December 2025.

Krishna also brought to the notice of the court that the above duration is needed to undertake works like stopping the flow of Jayakwadi Dam water towards the Jackwell by spreading black soil near the well; absorbing water from the black soil spread around and then starting the actual construction of Jackwell; construction of the bridge (coffer dam) from retention wall of the dam till Jackwell etc.

The MJP member secretary also urged the court to refrain contractor from submitting any road map directly in the court without the approval of the MJP. The hearing on the public interest litigation (PIL) will be held again on Wednesday.

Earlier, the MJP sought written permission from the chief engineer of the office of the Command Area and Development Authority (CADA) to lift black soil from the banks of the Godavari River for the Coffer Dam, on March 28. Hence the High Court hopes the CADA office would grant permission by tomorrow (Wednesday).

In today’s hearing the contractor was represented by veteran lawyer R N Dhorde, Adv Karpe and Adv Suryavanshi. The senior lawyer Rajendra Deshmukh, Adv Vinod Patil and Adv Amol Wasmatkar pleaded on behalf of MJP and

Adv Sachin Deshmukh is the amicus curiae in the case. Adv Sambhaji Tope voiced on behalf of the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation, Sujeet Karlekar was the assistant public prosecutor and Adv Amit Mukhedkar represented the principal petitioner.