Minister orders 33 Shindkheda villages to get water by January 15 under delayed 85-village scheme

Water Supply and Sanitation Minister Gulabrao Patil has directed that work on the Chimthane and 85-village water supply scheme in Shindkheda taluka of Dhule district be completed on time and that people actually receive water. He said a time-bound programme should be drawn up to start water supply in at least 33 villages by January 15, and that work should be speeded up. He also asked the departments concerned to give top priority both to completing pending work and to relieving people during the water-scarcity months.

The directions were given at a meeting chaired by Mr Patil at Mantralaya. The meeting took stock of the water scarcity situation in Shindkheda taluka, the current status of the Chimthane and 85-village scheme, the remaining work and preparations for further water supply. Dhule Guardian Minister Jaykumar Rawal was also present. Others present included Additional Chief Secretary of the department Parag Jain-Nainutia, the member secretary of the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran, Jal Jeevan Mission officials, the chief executive officer of the Dhule Zilla Parishad, the authority's chief engineer and engineers concerned, and officials of the department and the district administration.

Work on the scheme is about 51 per cent complete. Some work remains on the main well, pump house, water treatment plant, electricity connections, clean-water pipeline and distribution system. Mr Patil therefore said the remaining work should be planned in phases, all agencies should coordinate with one another, and the goal of actually delivering water should be met.

The contractor has been fined about Rs 4 lakh a day for the delay, and the amount has already been recovered. The contractor had sought a reduction in the penalty. Mr Patil took a firm stand that the pace of work must first be increased and water supply must actually begin in villages as per the set targets. Only after that would the request for reducing the penalty be considered.

He said the scheme is meant to benefit people in 85 villages, so the delay must be removed. Instead of deciding only on the penalty, importance will be given to actual progress of work, completion of the remaining work and the timeline for water to reach people.

At the meeting, Mr Patil also reviewed the water scarcity expected in the taluka. For the period from October 2026 to June 2027, 129 measures have been proposed for 116 villages of the taluka, with a total provision of Rs 2.969 crore proposed. They include borewells, repair of special tap schemes, temporary supply schemes, acquisition and deepening of wells, and tanker water supply. Mr Patil also directed the departments concerned to take the necessary action so that people do not face hardship from water shortage until the scheme's work is completed.

Providing the electricity supply needed for the scheme's main works, completing the machinery and electricity connection for the water treatment plant, laying the remaining pipeline, and finishing the work involving railway and road crossings are necessary. Local obstacles along the pipeline route at some places will also have to be cleared. Mr Patil said the work should be prioritised after considering all these matters and that regular reviews should be held to complete the work on time.