CURATED BY – SUNIL YADAV | CITYCHIEFNEWS

Katni, in the PIL filed by Youth Congress District President Divyanshu Mishra Anshu, advocate Varun Tankha argued that even after 13 years, Maihar, Satna and Rewa districts including Katni did not get water. The tunnel of Narmada right bank canal being built near Sleemanabad in Katni district is incomplete even after 13 years. Due to which people of Maihar, Satna and Rewa districts along with Katni are not getting Narmada water for drinking and irrigation. Excess payment of crores is being made to the contractor by delaying construction and violating the terms of the contract. Youth Congress District President and social worker Divyanshu Mishra Anshu filed a PIL before the Honorable High Court on the laxity being done in providing water to the city residents. Petitioner's advocate Varun Tankha has filed a PIL in the matter. While pleading the case, several arguments and facts were presented, expressing strong objection to the project being delayed by 13 years from the scheduled time and payment of Rs. 1450 crore in a contract of Rs. 799 crore. On which the bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Vinay Saraf has ordered the state government to submit a status report within four weeks. Advocates Harshit Bari, Banmit Sarna also presented the petitioner's side. It is worth mentioning that in the Bargi diversion project, work is going on to deliver Narmada water from the Narmada right bank canal to Maihar, Satna and Rewa districts along with Katni. In which, Hyderabad based company Patel Engineering-SEW (Joint Venture) had signed a contract with the department on 26/03/2008 under the turn-key tender for the construction of a 12 km long tunnel and 13 km open canal from kilometer number 104 to 129. The cost of the contract was fixed at Rs. 799 crore and the time limit was fixed at 40 months. Which was completed on 25/07/2011. After the deadline has passed, the extension has been given 6 times so far but the construction of the tunnel has still not been completed. So far, more than 1500 crore rupees have been paid to the construction agency against the contract of Rs 799 crore. By playing the game of changing the terms and conditions of the turnkey tender contract, the departmental officials have committed a scam of more than 90 crore rupees in the name of survey, grouting, de-watering and soft construction. Despite being a turnkey base tender, a separate tender was issued for ground grouting work. In which about 13 crore 23 lakh rupees were paid to the Indore company. Whereas this work was included in the original contract of the contractor. Recently on 5 July 2024, the department has again issued an unnecessary tender of 4 crore 80 lakhs. Despite the turnkey tender, a payment of Rs 50 crore (49.87 crore) has been made to the construction agency so far in the name of de-watering during the construction of the tunnel by committing fraud.

When the construction agency was making a shaft as per the contract to repair the downstream TBM after it broke down at Mohdapura (Sleemanabad), the officials later approved Rs 26 crore for making a permanent shaft in the name of repairing the tunnel and gave this work to the construction company without tender and paid Rs 13 crore 56 lakh.

6. By adding the work of soft construction to the construction agency, the contractor was given convenience in bringing out both the TBMs. Deliberate delay is being caused in the work by not making the soft till now in 9 months. Whereas a shaft would have to be made for the repair of the downstream machine and another shaft would have to be made to take out the upstream TBM after the completion of the work, which would have cost about Rs 10 crore. The next hearing on the matter has been scheduled for 18/10/2024.