AIMIM MLA smells scam in water scheme

Alleges corporators receive 'cut' to pass the proposal

Imtiaz Jalil, legislator of All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) from Aurangabad, has strongly opposed to the privatisation of drinking water supply scheme of the city.

Jalil alleged that the ruling Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) supporting the company floated by Subhashchandra Goyal, Rajya Sabha (RS) member of BJP who had escalated the cost of the project from earlier Rs 300 crore to Rs 2000 crore. Jalil claimed that the corporators have received their share and cut from the company to pass the proposal.

According to Jalil, for the first time in the history of Maharashtra, the operation of water supply scheme was awarded to the Aurangabad City Water Utility Company. "It was pegged at Rs 350 crore initially in 2016. In last two years, the company managed to complete the work of just 6 percent. Due to its failure, the General Body of AMC had cancelled the agreement signed with the company," Jalil said.

He added, "The water scheme had been projected as something which would solve the perennial problem of water shortage of this growing city. But, the company failed. Some activists went in court against the company. Even the matter is pending in Supreme Court."

"Unfortunately, something wrong happened behind the doors and a fresh proposal of the same company is about to approve in general body meeting on Monday. This time, the company has quoted the operating cost of the project at Rs 2000 crore. The escalation has gone from Rs 350 crore to Rs 2000 crore which will be recovered from the pocket of common man of Aurangabad," said Jalil.

“Shiv Sena and BJP corporators are praising the company and asking me not to oppose the proposal. I want to ask the question, if the company is so good, then why the BJP Chief Minister and Thackeray (Uddhav) have not taken it to Nagpur, Pune, Nashik or Mumbai? Why all these bogus experiments are done only in Aurangabad? Why all private players want to play in Aurangabad only and not in any other city? Why does Shiv Sena or BJP not implement these types of money making projects in other cities and why just Aurangabad?" Jalil raised questions.

The MIM legislator claimed, "One of my friend told me, 'Imtiaz bhai, election mein bahut paisa lagega' (You will need a lot of money in election), why dont just take your share, your cut from the company and let the city go to dogs?"

Imtiaz Jalil alleged that the ruling Sena-BJP in Aurangabad Municipal Corporation supporting the company floated by BJP MP Subhashchandra Goyal who had escalated the cost of the project from earlier Rs 300 cr to Rs 2000 cr