Amravati contractor Sunil Wagdre dies; groups say Rs 2.5 crore in government bills were pending

The death of contractor Sunil Wagdre of Jarud village in Warud tehsil of Amravati district has caused a stir across Maharashtra. He was reportedly in financial distress because bills worth crores of rupees for government work were stuck. It is claimed that about Rs 2.5 crore in government bills was pending and that he was also burdened by growing debt. His death has brought the question of pending bills back into focus, and contractor organisations have questioned the government's functioning.

Wagdre was a government-recognised contractor who took up various development works. He is said to have carried out road works under the Public Works Department. Contractor organisations claim that bills for works linked to the Tribal Development Department and the Rural Development Department are also pending. Wagdre is said to have been owed about Rs 2.5 crore by the government for his work, and had been pursuing the concerned officials and departments for some time to get the money. He reportedly made several trips to Mantralaya in Mumbai over the bills, but, according to the claim, his efforts did not yield the desired result.

Besides the pending bills, Wagdre also had debts. Some reports say he owed about Rs 30 lakh to a private bank, Rs 30 lakh on a bank cash credit account and about Rs 50 lakh borrowed for construction work. It is said that pressure to repay the loans and the non-payment for government work had worsened his condition. However, the exact position on the debts and the cause of death must be established by an official inquiry.

Wagdre is said to have written a letter before his death, the contents of which have come to light. In it, he asks his elder nephew Ghanshyam to take charge of the family. It is also said to mention the education of the younger siblings, the care of an aunt and the family's future responsibilities. The letter is also said to say that contact should be kept with the concerned people to recover the pending bills, and that the property should be looked after or sold to repay the debts. The contents of the letter and its full context need official confirmation.

Contractor organisations have expressed strong anger after Wagdre's death. They allege that contractors are being pushed into financial crisis because bills are not paid on time even after government work is completed. Banners protesting against the government were reportedly put up in front of the Public Works Department office in Amravati. The organisation said: "This is not a suicide, it is a sacrifice taken by the government." This is the organisation's allegation and should not be treated as an official finding. There is a demand for an inquiry into the financial hardships caused by pending bills and for responsibility to be fixed.

The contractor organisation claims that bills worth about Rs 86,000 crore are pending for government contractors in Maharashtra. The organisations complain that bills are not being paid on time in several departments, including public works, rural development, tribal development and the Jal Jeevan Mission. This figure has not been independently confirmed by officials. According to the organisations, Wagdre's death is the ninth alleged case in the state linked to the issue of pending bills. This claim also needs independent official verification. The organisations are asking the Chief Minister and the departments concerned to resolve the issue of pending bills immediately and give relief to contractors in distress.

To decide the next course of action, office-bearers of the Maharashtra State Contractors' Federation, the state engineers' organisation and the Maharashtra State Water Supply Contractors' Association will hold an online meeting at 4 pm on October 10. The direction of the next agitation will be decided there. Contractors are now watching what steps the government takes on their complaints. Wagdre is survived by his wife, daughter and son.