Mumbai: Maharashtra BJP will take to streets the issue of corruption concerning irrigation projects in the state, senior party leader Gopinath Munde said on Wednesday.
BJP would organise rallies from Oct 22 from Aurangabad in Marathwada region with a view to spread awareness about the actual cost of irrigation projects and cost escalations, he said.
"Rallies will also be organised in Akola, Sangli and in Khandesh and Konkan regions," Munde said, adding the rallies will be completed before the Winter Session of the State Legislature to be held in Nagpur.
On White Paper on irrigation, Munde said, "Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan is not talking about tabling the white paper on irrigation scam but is saying the government will come out with a status report on irrigation".
"Status report will not serve the purpose. We want a white paper on irrigation scam. BJP will not sit quiet till the culprits in the irrigation scam are punished," he said.
Munde also reiterated party leader Kirit Somaiya`s demand for constitution of Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the irrigation "scam" and supervision of the investigation under sitting high court judge.
"If inquiry can be ordered against officers then ministers Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare, who held the portfolio of Water Resource department, should also be probed," he said.
Munde was referring to the departmental probe ordered by Chavan against 45 officials of Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) on various counts.
Demanding scrapping of tenders of irrigation projects where only 15-20 percent work is completed so far, Munde said even those projects where more than 20 per cent work is completed should also be investigated for corruption.
"In cases where norms are flouted in irrigation projects the money should be recovered from the property of officers," he added.
PTI
