Pradeep Ramteke
Editor-in-Chief
Considering the development of the village, the various facilities for the villagers and the measures taken for them, and to achieve the objectives of the Central Government and the Maharashtra Government, the sub-divisional engineer Potude of the Zilla Parishad Rural Water Supply Office, Chimur, should come forward on his own to find an amicable solution to prevent the situation from escalating under the “Jal Jeevan Mission” scheme in Mauja Mahadwadi, and this is his true duty.
It is equally true that Sub-Divisional Engineer Potude should not have started various works in Mauja Mahadwadi, Chimur taluka, Chandrapur district, under the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme, just before the onset of the monsoon.
Sub-Divisional Engineer Potude and sub-contractor Pawan Bande knew that the monsoon would start in a month and that they would not be able to complete the works in Mauja Mahadwadi under the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme.
Nevertheless, just before the monsoon, the works under the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme in Mauja Mahadwadi were expedited by Sub-Divisional Engineer Potude.
While re-excavating the well that supplied clean water to the citizens of Mauja Mahadwadi, the well collapsed and the wall caved in. Currently, Sub-Divisional Engineer Potude, Junior Engineer Pallavi Meshram, and sub-contractor Pawan Bande do not know exactly where the wall caved in.
The collapse of the well, the wall sinking into the ground, and the supply of unclean water to the citizens of Mauja Mahadwadi for four months during the monsoon season, this sequence of events caused mental distress and trouble to Sarpanch Bhojraj Kamdi. Therefore, in his capacity as Sarpanch, he immediately demanded that the Sub-Divisional Engineer Potude of the Zilla Parishad Rural Water Supply Office, Chimur, ensure that the citizens of Mauja Mahadwadi receive clean water. A demand was made for remedial measures.
Following this demand, Sub-Divisional Engineer Potude took steps to immediately install an RO plant in Mauja Mahadwadi and, with the help of sub-contractor Pawan Bande, attempted to complete the RO plant work without administrative approval. He also gave a written assurance to Sarpanch Bhojraj Kamdi that the RO plant would be installed immediately in Mauja Mahadwadi.
Because of this, Sub-Divisional Engineer Potude knowingly got himself into trouble. Sub-Divisional Engineer Potude did not submit the proposal for RO plant approval to the Executive Engineer of the Chandrapur Zilla Parishad Rural Water Supply Office, nor did he obtain approval. Moreover, he kept misleading Sarpanch Bhojraj Kamdi regarding the RO plant.
Since the RO plant work would cost over 5 lakh rupees, the question of where to get this funding arose before sub-contractor Pawan Bande.
It was not so easy for Sub-Divisional Engineer Potude to simply instruct and for sub-contractor Pawan Bande to carry out the RO plant work in Mauja Mahadwadi without approval.
However, it is clear that Sub-Divisional Engineer Potude unnecessarily troubled sub-contractor Pawan Bande and Sarpanch Bhojraj Kamdi to save himself and buy time.
It is naturally evident that a senior and responsible engineer of sub-divisional rank was deliberately engaging in deceptive practices with Sarpanch Bhojraj Kamdi to buy time.
But what about the unnecessary suffering caused to Sarpanch Bhojraj Kamdi and the citizens of Mauja Mahadwadi due to the contaminated water? That is the real question.
Similarly, the sequence of events orchestrated by Sub-Divisional Engineer Potude to save himself, involving Sarpanch Bhojraj Kamdi, was illegal and deceptive. How will he take responsibility for his actions and for Mauja…? It remains to be seen under which scheme the RO plant will be installed in Mahadwadi.
Similarly, it will also become clear how Sarpanch Bhojraj Kamdi handles the RO plant issue!
However, the unnecessary trouble and terrible suffering caused to the citizens of Mahadwadi village due to contaminated water during the rainy season was extremely दुखद् and distressing.
Will Sub-Divisional Engineer Poddute, who made the citizens of Mahadwadi village drink muddy water for four consecutive months, drink muddy water for just eight days?
