The Jana Sangram Parishat (JSP) plans to launch an indefinite satyagraha outside the office of the Raichur Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on Wednesday seeking action against officers, contractors and elected representatives involved in the multi-crore drinking water scam in Deodurg taluk.
Raghavendra Kushtagi, State working president of the outfit, told presspersons here on Monday that the satyagraha would be in the Gandhian way of non-violent resistance.
“As I can’t stand or sit for a long time because of my old age, I will lie down on the floor outside the chamber of the CEO while other activists will stage a demonstration outside. Our satyagraha will continue till the authorities come up with concrete measures on our demands,” he said.
Placing public servants involved in the scam under suspension pending an inquiry; blacklisting contractors and initiating steps to recover the money misappropriated by them; and booking criminal cases against contractors and elected representatives who were involved the scam, are the major demands, he added.
According to Mr. Kushtagi, Rs. 42 crore was misappropriated in the name of implementing drinking water projects in Deodurg taluk under schemes including the Union government-funded National Rural Drinking Water Programme over a period of time. “In response to our RTI applications, the Raichur Zilla Panchayat authorities claimed that Rs. 42 crore was spent for specific drinking water projects in Deodurg taluk over a period of time. They also claimed that all the projects undertaken were completed and people in 39 villages are getting drinking water. In a reality-check, we found that no project has been completed and no village is provided with drinking water,” he said.
