The Times of India 25.04.2013
HC seeks details of policy on drinking water supply
PATNA: The Patna high court on Wednesday directed the state government and Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) to make clear the policy for supplying pure drinking water in the state capital.
A division bench comprising Justice Navin Sinha and Justice Shivaji
Pandey took a serious view of the PMC and the state government's plea
that two more years would be needed for laying new water pipelines in
different localities and to install 38 more borings in the city for
creating additional capacity to supply pure drinking water.
Hearing the PIL of Naseeb Lal Yadav, the division bench said that two years back also the PMC and the state government had, in their counter affidavits, made the same plea, but nothing has been done yet. The court adjourned the case to April 26.
Petitioner's counsel Indradeo Kumar told the court that a year back, the state government and PMC had said in their counter affidavits that a new boring would be installed for providing pure drinking water in the area around Gardanibagh road number 2, but nothing was done despite the court order. Principal additional advocate general Lalit Kishore informed the court that pure drinking water supply would be restored in the area within a month.
MNREGA scam: The same bench directed the central and state governments to file counter affidavits on a PIL seeking a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in implementation of MNREGA schemes in the state. The scam, according to petitioner Amit Kumar Mandal, was to the tune of Rs 100 crore in Muzaffarpur district alone between 2006-07 and 2010-11 in the projects for constructing small bridges.
Petitioner's counsel Dinu Kumar informed the court that at least 90 bridges were constructed on paper and money was drawn under MNREGA. The principal accountant general, Bihar, had referred the irregularities to the state government but the latter failed to submit the audit report based on inquiry by respective Zila Parishads before the legislative assembly, the petitioner's counsel submitted.
He annexed with the PIL a report of Centre for Environment and Food Security alleging MNREGA scam to the tune of Rs 6,000 crore in Begusarai, Vaishali, Nalanda, Gaya, Nawada and Bhagalpur districts and other parts of the state. Central government counsel S N Pathak received the court's notice.
Hearing the PIL of Naseeb Lal Yadav, the division bench said that two years back also the PMC and the state government had, in their counter affidavits, made the same plea, but nothing has been done yet. The court adjourned the case to April 26.
Petitioner's counsel Indradeo Kumar told the court that a year back, the state government and PMC had said in their counter affidavits that a new boring would be installed for providing pure drinking water in the area around Gardanibagh road number 2, but nothing was done despite the court order. Principal additional advocate general Lalit Kishore informed the court that pure drinking water supply would be restored in the area within a month.
MNREGA scam: The same bench directed the central and state governments to file counter affidavits on a PIL seeking a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in implementation of MNREGA schemes in the state. The scam, according to petitioner Amit Kumar Mandal, was to the tune of Rs 100 crore in Muzaffarpur district alone between 2006-07 and 2010-11 in the projects for constructing small bridges.
Petitioner's counsel Dinu Kumar informed the court that at least 90 bridges were constructed on paper and money was drawn under MNREGA. The principal accountant general, Bihar, had referred the irregularities to the state government but the latter failed to submit the audit report based on inquiry by respective Zila Parishads before the legislative assembly, the petitioner's counsel submitted.
He annexed with the PIL a report of Centre for Environment and Food Security alleging MNREGA scam to the tune of Rs 6,000 crore in Begusarai, Vaishali, Nalanda, Gaya, Nawada and Bhagalpur districts and other parts of the state. Central government counsel S N Pathak received the court's notice.
