एखादे काम हाती घेतले की त्याची तड लागेपर्यंत स्वस्थ बसायचे नाही हा कोणत्याही सामाजिक कार्यकर्त्यांमध्ये आवश्यक असलेला गुण पारोमितामध्ये ठासून भरला आहे. वेठबिगाराचे प्रकरण असो, आदिवासींच्या जमीनी परत मिळवून देण्याचा प्रश्न असो वा चिन्ना मट्टामीचा लढा असो, पारोमिता व तिची संघटना न्याय मिळवूनच शांत झाली. * स्वातंत्र्यपूर्व काळात सेवाकार्याचे केंद्र अशी ओळख असलेल्या मूल शहराला तब्बल पाच दशकानंतर तीच ओळख पुन्हा मिळवून देण्यात श्रमिक एल्गार व त्याच्या प्रमुख पारोमिता गोस्वामी यांचा सिंहाचा वाटा आहे. मूळची कोलकत्याची व मुंबईतून समाजकार्यात पदवी घेतलेली पारोमिता दहा वर्षांपूर्वी या जिल्हय़ात आली तेव्हा स्थानिक भाषेचा गंधही तिला नव्हता. स्वप्नाळू डोळय़ांची ही मुलगी कुणी सोबतीला नसतांना इथे काय करणार असा प्रश्न तेव्हा सर्वाच्या मनात उभा राहायचा. अवघ्या दहा वर्षांत पारोमिताने या प्रश्नाचे उत्तर सर्वाना देऊन टाकले आहे. तिने स्थापन केलेल्या संघटनेचे पंचेवीस हजार सभासद व पाचशे पूर्णवेळ कार्यकर्ते चंद्रपूर व गडचिरोली या दोन जिल्हय़ात आहेत. आपल्या मोजक्या पण विश्वासू सहकाऱ्यांच्या साथीने पारोमिताने या जिल्हय़ातील महिला, आदिवासी, दलित, कामगार, शेतकरी, शेतमजूर या गरीब घटकांसाठी जो लढा दिला त्याचे सर्व स्तरावरून कौतूक झाले. एखादे काम हाती घेतले की त्याची तड लागेपर्यंत स्वस्थ बसायचे नाही हा कोणत्याही सामाजिक कार्यकर्त्यांमध्ये आवश्यक असलेला गुण पारोमितामध्ये ठासून भरला आहे. वेठबिगाराचे प्रकरण असो, आदिवासींच्या जमीनी परत मिळवून देण्याचा प्रश्न असो वा चिन्ना मट्टामीचा लढा असो, पारोमिता व तिची संघटना न्याय मिळवूनच शांत झाली. प्रश्न रेंगाळत ठेवण्याच्या राजकीय कलेला तिने आजूबाजूलाही फटकू दिले नाही. त्यामुळे अन्यायग्रस्त लोक तिच्याकडे मोठय़ा आशेने बघतात. उपेक्षितांचे प्रश्न सोडवतांना प्रशासनाशी तिचा होणारा संघर्ष आता तिच्या जीवनशैलीचा एक भाग झाला आहे. या संघर्षांत अनेकदा तिला कारागृहात जावे लागले. थंडी, ऊन, वारा, पाऊस झेलत रस्त्यावर रात्री काढाव्या लागल्या. पण यातून खचून जाण्याऐवजी तिच्या उमेदीत व जिद्दीत सतत वाढ होत गेली. लोकशाहीच्या मार्गाने लढे देऊनही प्रश्न सुटत नाही म्हटल्यावर न्यायालयाच्या माध्यमातून यश कसे मिळवायचे असते, हे पारोमिता व तिच्या संघटनेने या भागाला दाखवून दिले. लोकशाहीवर नितांत श्रद्धा असलेल्या व कायम लोकांसाठी संघर्ष करणाऱ्या पारोमिताच्या वाटय़ाला दु:खाचे क्षणही काही काळ आले. तिची बंगाली पाश्र्वभूमी लक्षात घेऊन काही स्थानिक राजकारण्यांनी प्रशासनाला हाताशी धरून तिला नक्षलवादी ठरवून टाकले आणि संघटना बंदीची कारवाई सुरू केली. तेव्हा सैरभर झालेली पारोमिता थेट न्यायालयात गेली व दीड वर्षांची लढाई जिंकूनच परत आली. त्या काळात तिची संघटना मोडते की काय अशीच शंका सर्वाना येत होती पण लढाई जिकंताच ही संघटना तेवढय़ाच ताकदीने उभी राहिली. केवळ संघटनेसाठी आणि त्यामाध्यमातून वंचिताचे प्रश्न सोडवता यावेत म्हणून हैद्राबादच्या राष्ट्रीय ग्रामीण विकास संस्थेने देऊ केलेल्या प्राध्यापकाच्या नोकरीवर पाणी सोडणाऱ्या पारोमिताने आता दारूबंदीचा लढा हाती घेतला आहे. या प्रश्नावर निघालेल्या महिलांच्या पदयात्रेने थंडपणे चाललेल्या हिवाळी अधिवेशनाचा नूर पार पालटून गेला. पुरुषाच्या व्यसनाचे चटके सहन करणाऱ्या या कष्टकरी महिला पायांना चटके देत जेव्हा अधिवेशनावर चालून गेल्या तेव्हा सरकारही क्षणभर हबकलेच. या यात्रेत इतक्या मोठय़ा संख्येत महिला कशा या प्रश्नाचे उत्तर पुन्हा पारोमिता व तिच्या संघटनेच्या कार्यशैलीत दडले आहे. कोणताही प्रश्न हाती घेतला की त्याच्या मूळापर्यंत जायचे हा पारोमिताचा स्वभाव आहे. या यात्रेच्या आधीचे सहा महिने पारोमिता पायाला भिंगरी लागल्यागत गावोगाव फिरली. प्रत्येक गावात ठराव, त्याला कुठे विरोध तर कुठे सहमती असे प्रकार होत एक वातावरण निर्मिती झाली. त्यामुळेच या यात्रेचे स्वरूप मोठे झाले. केवळ लढे देणे हे एकमेव काम पारोमिता व तिच्या संघटनेचे नाही. श्रमिक एल्गारने मूलमध्ये मोठे संकूल उभारून अनेक रचनात्मक कामे सुरू केली आहेत. एक कोटीची उलाढाल असलेली महिलांची पतसंस्था, लाखोची उलाढाल करून शेतकऱ्यांना माफक दरात खत व बियाणे मिळवून देणाऱ्या सहकारी संस्था, ग्रामीण मुलांसाठी बालविज्ञान व पर्यावरण केंद्राची स्थापना, असे अनेक उपक्रम ही संघटना राबवत आहे. कायदे सोप्या भाषेत सांगणारी पाच पुस्तके लिहणाऱ्या पारोमिताला अमेरिकेतील येल विद्यापीठाने अभ्यासवृत्ती देऊन गौरवले आहे. पती कल्याणकुमार व आरंभापासूनचा सहकारी विजय सिद्धावार आणि शेकडो कार्यकर्त्यांच्या मदतीने सेवाकार्याचा व्याप विस्तारणाऱ्या पारोमितासमोर आता खरे आव्हान जिल्हा दारूबंदीचे आहे.
YAVATMAL: "The chief minister's winter session relief package of Rs 1,000 crore announced at Nagpur to help farmers hit by the wet famine across the state would not help any Vidarbha farmers. At the most 5% farmers may get financial aid," alleged Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishor Tiwari on Thursday.
He also announced that Vidarbha farmers will launch an indefinite protest stir from December 29 against their deliberate exclusion from the package benefits.
The local administration machinery had carried out an on the spot survey to ascertain the actual damage caused to cotton and soyabean crops in Western Vidarbha districts, which are known for farmers suicides. However, the administration has adopted the faulty orthodox method of 'Anewari system' and confirmed that there was great crop damage in the region due to unseasonal rain.
District
Crop damaged in hector as per official survey of Maharashtra Govt. (in Hector)
Chandrapur
1,26,000
Nagpur
93,000
Yavatmal
85,000
Wardha
58,000
Akola
53,000
Gadchiroli
47,000
Bhandara
34,000
Amaravti
29,000
Buldhana
11,000
Washim
12,000
Gondia
13,000
Total
5,50,000 Hector
The farmers have suffered heavy losses due to the crop damage and the rocketing production and labour costs. However, the government has not considered this vital factor and hence the Vidarbha farmers are almost excluded from the benefits of the recent package.
Tiwari said that a dharna would be held on December 29 followed by road blockades, and if demands are not met by such peaceful agitation they would opt for fast unto death agitation.
"The cotton crop failure in Maharashtra is a very serious issue, but the recent announcement by the CM and his Rs 1,000 crore bailout package have not covered cotton farmers of Vidarbha. We have approached the chief minister, who says he is keen to bring Maharashtra agrarian economy on track and wants to stop the on going cotton farmers suicides. We have promised all help to the Maharashtra chief minister if he is really serious about addressing the issue of mass suicide of farming community as cotton farmers economic crisis is policy driven and not nature driven," Tiwari added.
nion Heavy Industries Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, had prevented complaints of Vidarbha farmers against the moneylending family of Congress MLA Dilip Kumar Sananda from being registered by the police. Policemen, who put on record Deshmukh's intervention, were later pointedly transferred away from anti-moneylending cases.
But the evidence they registered in 2006 proved pivotal in this week's Supreme Court judgement which castigated Deshmukh for "acting solely on political consideration to screen the family of MLA from the normal process of law".
The SC also stated that Deshmukh as the CM of Maharashtra "is expected to know that the farmers of the state specially those in the Vidarbha region are going through a great deal of suffering and hardships in the hands of moneylenders."
Inspector Ganesh Aney, posted in 2006 in Khamgaon police station in Buldana district, had been inquiring into 52 complaints against the Sananda family. In May, Aney was prevented from registering cases on complaints, including those of kidnapping, robbery and extortion, because of the intervention of Deshmukh through his personal assistant.
On 31May, Deshmukh's PA called Khamgaon police station to inquire about the offences registered and to tell the policemen that "henceforth no action be taken as instructed by honourable CM and further said that again no offences be registered". This was recorded in the station diary by inspector Chandrakant Sugandhi, a copy of which is with this newspaper.
A day after this incident, Aney and others, including the then district collector of Buldana, were summoned by the CM. According to those who attended that meeting, Deshmukh wondered if the superintendent of police of Buldana had "no other work" and said that legal opinion must be obtained before taking action into any complaints against the Sananda family.
When police officials present pointed out that in case of cognizable offence, like the complaints against Sananda's family, the FIR must be registered, the then CM demanded "if we presumed to know more than him about legal matters."
Four days after this meeting, the collector sent an order to the SP which referred to the CM meeting and to Sananda's complaint that offences of illegal moneylending were being filed without "scrutinizing truthfulness" against him family. The order, a copy of which is again with this newspaper, also mentioned the CM's instructions on seeking legal opinion on such complaints.
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Deshmukh's friendship with Sananda is well-known in Buldana, where he visited often during his CM tenure
In the aftermath, Aney, Sugandhi and four other policemen of Khamgoan police station were transferred. Aney awaited posting for over eight months, while others were put on duties not connected with anti-moneylending activities.
Speaking to The Sunday Guardian from Khamgaon in Buldana, Sarangdhar Singh Chavan, the original complainant in the case explained that he had borrowed Rs 30,000 from Sananda's moneylender father for medical treatment of his father. The Bt cotton crops, caught in the spiral of low prices and high cost of cultivation, made loan repayment difficult for Chavan. "As the interest rate was 10% per month, I could not repay moneylender Sananda who seized my 14.5-acre land and continued to harass me," he said. "That is when I was forced to lodge a police complaint, but no action could be taken due to Vilasrao Deshmukh's pressure."
Deshmukh's friendship with Sananda is well-known in Buldana. Deshmukh is said to have visited the district often during his CM tenure for various celebrations, inaugurations, and rallies.
"Political clout helps moneylenders in conducting their business," says activist Kishore Tewari from Nagpur, "due to their connections, they can even get the help of police at the time of loan recovery from farmers who are unable to pay."
Inspector Aney, now posted in Amravati district, says that after Deshmukh's intervention the cases against moneylenders have declined in Buldana. "In 2005, the anti-moneylending squad of police registered 69 cases against moneylenders by farmers. In 2006, the police registered 73 cases, but in 2007, the number of offences registered were just seven."
Pointing to the impact Deshmukh's intervention must have on farmers' complaints, the latest SC verdict said, "How can poor famers sustain their complaint in the face of such directions and how can the subordinate police officers carry on investigation ignoring such instructions of the chief minister?"
Deshmukh had maintained that he would not comment till the copy of SC verdict was available to him. Speaking as senior counsel for Deshmukh, and not as Congress spokesperson, Abhishek Singhvi, said, "We are considering the legal remedies available in the case." This could include a review petition.
Vidarbha farmers “GandhiGiri” : Effigies of Union Agriculture Minister and Maharashtra chief minister burnt along with last ritual cotton farmers who committed suicide
16 Vidarbha Farmers Suicides during Nagpur Winter Session
Nagpur-16th December 2010
As main demands of cotton farmers of west vidarbha to give financial aid of Rs.40,000/- per hector and cotton procurement by Maharashtra cotton federation @ Rs.4500/- per quintal rejected by Maharashtra and there is no relief from central Govt. on the front of export relaxation and incentive for cotton for cotton export ,cotton farmers have lodged protest in “GandhiGiri” style by burning effigies of Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithaviraj Chavan and union agriculture minister sharad pawar along with body of ill-fated cotton farmer Tulsiram Pawar who committed suicide last night in village shivani in ghatangi taluka of yavatmal district .
Tulsiram Pawar progressive cotton farmer who committed suicide by drinking pesticide having lost complete cotton crop who is debt of Maharashtra bank and local moneylenders was in deep distress and despair as relief aid from Govt. was not coming .cotton farmers gathered in large number were shouting slogans against policies of state and central Govt. and demanding relief aid and cotton procurement by state Govt. @ Rs.4500/- per quintal rate, Mohan Jadhav of vidarbha Janandolan Samiti (VJAS) informed in press release today.
‘as farmers were very optimistic with new chief minister prithviraj chavan but nothing serious and fruitful has been announced in the whole winter session and this will has added fuel in on going distress and agrarian crisis will trigger another spiral of farm suicide in the region as there is no hope to get any more money from crop and moneylenders are forcing hard recoveries more cases like Tulsiram Pawar bound to be reported in the dying field of west vidarbha ’ Mohan Jadhav
Maharashtra Govt. failed to give subsides food and free health care even after committees after committeesrecommended to the more than1 million distressed families due to lack fund today passed resolution to double all pay and park of Maharashtra legislators and presiding officers of more than Rs.10 million crore without any discussion unanimously today .
‘When central Govt. has cut loan to Maharashtra Govt. to poor fiscal condition as debt over the state has crossed RS.2Lacs thousand crore and state is over drawing it’s R.B.I. limit for payment of it’s babaus and all relief aid is being denied due to lack fund,the bankrupt Govt. is giving mega package to it’s legislators is nothing but open robbery to public treasury and brazen misuse of power and highly objectionable and unwanted should be taken back immediately’ Kishor Tiwari of said today.
‘Presently Maharashtra is facing unusual economic crisis where as industrial growth being retarded ,the record excessive and untimely raindamagedmost of all cash crops in Maharashtra resulting more than Rs.25,000 crore huge financial losses to Maharashtrato the growers hence MaharashtraGovt. expected to arrange special economic reliefto compensatemore than 5 million farmers losses but nothing has been seriously discussed nor any long term fiscal solution has been provided by legislators,all legislates should declare that they ashamed to take this mega hike pf pay and perk as the voters are and por farmers are dying and will retun the hike in relief fund’ Kishor Tiwari of VJAS urged in press release today.
When Nagpur assembly was placed and winter session has been working since 1st December 2010 ,16 more farmers suicides in vidarbha have been reported which are
Name
Place
District
1
Tulsiram Amba Pawar
Shivani
Yavatmal
2
Narayan Ingole
Gujari
Yavatmal
3
Shrikrishnna Pandit
Dudhana
Washim
4
Sukhdeo Dhale
Mugawani
Yavatmal
5
Syad Javed
Sawar
Yavatmal
6
Hivraj Kore
Kanori
Gondia
7
Ashok Honghot
Yekurna
Amaravati
8
Pramod Shende
Keshari
Gondia
9
Haribhau Kautale
Saral
Yavatmal
10
Dadarao Pawar
Sirasgoan
Yavatmal
11
Nagorao Jawanjal
Mohadi
Nagpur
12
Pravin Lande
Tiwasa
Amaravati
13
Khatu Bhoyar
Salesahari
Nagpur
14
Ravindra Khoke
Deheggoan
Yavatmal
15
Keshav More
Belkhed
Washim
16
Roshan Gedam
Kurandi
Gondia
Here is official figure of farmers suicides since 2001 provides by National Crime Records Bureau and Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swalabhan Mission.
Year
As National Crime Records Bureau
As per Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swalabhan Missionand Crime Records data of of six district of west vidarbha
2001
116
59
2002
254
105
2003
328
143
2004
456
441
2005
666
431
2006
1886
1215
2007
1556
1160
2008
1680
1080
2009
1954
991
2010
706
716
Total
8702
6331 (of six district of west vidarbha )
“We want bring the attention Maharashtra Govt. that according recent report ofWhen we were askingministers including chief minister and his deputy chief minister to visit single house of these farmers to know the reason of suicides ,we thought very active opposition leader like you will visit house of this ill fated farmer’s family but nobody from opposition failed to do so.
VJAS has broughtanother shocking fact before thechief minister that more than 70% finance for cotton crop cultivation is given by private micro finance institutes MFIas against Rs.9600 crore total cost of cultivation ,state owned banks have given only Rs.1460 crorewhich has been most disturbing facts that is adding fuel in the despair of farmers as MFI style of finance andrecoveries are through local self help group(SHG) which are now acting as shelf recovery group(SRG) which needs to be banned immediately to stop innocent victimization debt trapped cotton farmers.
‘The cotton crop failure in Maharashtra is very serious issue but in the recent announcement the on Maharashtra agrarian crisis and Rs.1000 crore bail out package have not covered hencewe have approached chief minister who is keen to bring Maharashtra agrarian economy on track and wants to stop on going cotton farmers suicides. VJAS has promised all constructive help to the Maharashtra chief minister if he is really serious to address the mass genocide of farming community as cotton farmers economic crisis is policy driven not the nature driven’Tiwari assured .Even Maharashtra is set give record production of cotton due heavy increase in cultivation area, the cost of cultivation which has reached to record Rs.40,000/- per hector has completely disturbed economic stability of the reason more it has spread agrarian crisis to other part of Maharashtra from west vidarbha but this serious issue is being ignored by Maharashtra administration hence we have written to chief minister so that the corrective action to bail out more than 5 million farmers can be taken ,VJAS added in press release .
“Though the market prices are above Rs.4000/- per quintal much above the minimum support price of the state, till farmers are loosing Rs.12,000/- per hectorthanks to the exploitation of private traders and non-intervention ofMaharashtra cotton federationwhen international prices are above RS.500/- per quintal” Tiwari said.
यांचीही सावकारी... *ही महिला बचतगटांनीही सध्या सावकारी सुरू केली असून त्यांनी सुमारे पाच कोटी रुपये शेतकऱ्यांना कर्जरूपाने दिलेआहेत. **जिल्हा परिषद सदस्य व स्थानिक लोकप्रतिनिधीही मोठ्या प्रमाणावर सावकारीच्या धंद्यात उतरले आहेत.
.............................. *आबा कुठे आहेत? सावकारीबाबतच्या या आकडेवारीकडे विदर्भातील सामाजिक कार्यकतेर् किशोर तिवारी यांचे लक्ष वेधले असता, सावकारांना कोपरापासून ढोपरापर्यंत सोलून काढण्याची भाषा करणारे गृहमंत्री आर. आर. पाटील सध्या कुठे आहेत? असा प्रश्न त्यांनी केला. संदीप प्रधान। मुंबई http://maharashtratimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/7108894.cms आंध्र प्रदेश सरकारने खासगी सावकारीविरोधात कठोर पावले उचलल्याने तेथील सावकारांनी महाराष्ट्रातील विदर्भ व मराठवाड्यावर आपला पाश फेकला आहे. या भागांतील कापूस उत्पादक शेतकऱ्यांनी यंदा या सावकारांकडून कर्जाऊ घेतलेली रोख रक्कम तसेच वस्तू यांची गोळाबेरीज ४७६० कोटी रुपयांच्या घरात असल्याचा अधिकाऱ्यांचा अंदाज आहे. या कर्जावर २४ ते ३६ टक्के दराने व्याज आकारले जात आहे. बुलडाण्यातील सावकारीच्या प्रकरणात माजी मुख्यमंत्री विलासराव देशमुख यांच्यावर सुप्रीम कोर्टाने नुकतेच ताशेरे ओढल्याच्या पार्श्वभूमीवर ही आकडेवारी धक्कादायक आहे.
आंध्रमधील सावकारांनी आपले बस्तान महाराष्ट्रात चांगलेच बसवले आहे. विदर्भ व मराठवाड्यातील शेतकऱ्यांना सध्या ते कर्ज देत आहेत. थेट पैसे, तसेच बियाणे, खते, कीटकनाशक आदी वस्तूंच्या रूपाने हे कर्ज दिले जाते. त्या बदल्यात शेतकऱ्याचा कापूस जबरदस्तीने सावकार घेतात. यावषीर् कापूस उत्पादक शेतकऱ्यांना त्यांच्या पिकाकरिता सहा हजार कोटी रुपये लागणार होते. त्यातील केवळ १२४० कोटींचे कर्ज बँकांनी दिले. उर्वरित रक्कम सावकारांनी दिलेली आहे! शेतकऱ्यांसाठी १ जुलै २००६ रोजी 'पंतप्रधान पॅकेज' जाहीर झाले तेव्हा २५०० कोटींची कर्जाची रक्कम तीन वर्षांत पाच हजार कोटी होईल व 'नाबार्ड'च शेतकऱ्यांच्या दारात जाईल, असा दावा करण्यात आला होता. मात्र वरील आकडेवारी पाहता त्या वल्गनाच ठरल्या आहेत.
सावकारांविरोधातील कायद्याला टोक देण्याची भाषा सरकारने केली असता काही शेतकऱ्यांनी सावकारांविरोधात खटले दाखल केले. मात्र सावकारांनी स्थानिक प्रशासनाच्या मदतीने त्या शेतकऱ्यांवरच वसुलीचे दावे दाखल करून त्यांच्या जमिनी हडप केल्या. अशा जमिनींची खरेदीपत्रे करून ते व्यवहार कायदेशीर करण्यात आले. शेतकऱ्यांच्या याबाबतच्या खटल्यांची पोलिसांनी साधी चौकशीही केली नाही.
Ref-VIDC SCAM -NGP- 2010urgentDated- 15TH December 2010
TO,
Shri Eknathrao Khadase(M.L.A.)
Hon’ble Leader Opposition,
Maharashtra Assembly
Winter Session Camp,
Civil Lines,
Nagpur-440 001
Ref –multi thousand crore scam in Mihan and VIDC irrigation contracts (Detail Media Reports Reproduced)
Sub: Ongoing farmers suicides & Mega scam in vidarbha and opposition’s salient these issues
Respected sir,
Winter session in Nagpur, it is expected that vidarbha issues of agrarian crisis, developments and mega scams in developments projects are in focus of the discussion but even the vidarbha crisis has been blown up ,opposition till today failed to discuss any major issue seriously moreover issues related Adarsha, Lavasa and BMC was discussed withmuch more vigor and zeal and there was complete apathy from opposition to focus the issues of vidarbha that’s painful part to write this letter to you,
When Nagpur assembly was placed and winter session has been working since 1st December 2010 ,16 more farmers suicides in vidarbha have been reported which are
Name
Place
District
1
Tulsiram Amba Pawar
Shivani
Yavatmal
2
Narayan Ingole
Gujari
Yavatmal
3
Shrikrishnna Pandit
Dudhana
Washim
4
Sukhdeo Dhale
Mugawani
Yavatmal
5
Syad Javed
Sawar
Yavatmal
6
Hivraj Kore
Kanori
Gondia
7
Ashok Honghot
Yekurna
Amaravati
8
Pramod Shende
Keshari
Gondia
9
Haribhau Kautale
Saral
Yavatmal
10
Dadarao Pawar
Sirasgoan
Yavatmal
11
Nagorao Jawanjal
Mohadi
Nagpur
12
Pravin Lande
Tiwasa
Amaravati
13
Khatu Bhoyar
Salesahari
Nagpur
14
Ravindra Khoke
Deheggoan
Yavatmal
15
Keshav More
Belkhed
Washim
16
Roshan Gedam
Kurandi
Gondia
When we were askingministers including chief minister and his deputy chief minister to visit single house of these farmers to know the reason of suicides ,we thought very active opposition leader like you will visit house of this ill fated farmer’s family but nobody from opposition failed to do so.
When Maharashtra minister was misleading hoses regarding farm suicides figure of vidarbha ,opposition failed to raise the issue of contempt of the house.
When stormy discussion on Adarsha and Lavasa was taken up in the house we thought issues of mega corruption in prime minister farmers relief package for vidarbha will certainly be main discussion and issue multi thousands crore land scam in star project of Maharashtra ‘Mihan cargo hub project’ will be matter of one stormy discussion but this has been never came as serious issue other than written answers from the Govt.
Even leading news papers ‘HItavada and Time of India’ run the special stories which are reproduced here
QUOTE
HITAVADA Report on 1st day winter session
*Mihan-Land Scam-Indicted by CAG, R C Sinha now drags Vilasrao’s name in Satyam land deal
** Emboldened by inaction by Govt, Oppn, MADC now questions veracity of CAG report
***‘In controversial Satyam land deal. Emboldened by failure of opposition and State Government to take any action despite CAG strictures’-Hitavada
Staff Reporter
Inaction by Govt andOpposition
STRANGE are the ways of babudom. While accepting bouquets they are on the forefront but the brickbats are promptly shifted to others. Adopting the same principle R C Sinha, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), indicted by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) for extending undue benefit of Rs 20.21 crore to Satyam Computer Services Limited by sale of land at lower rates, has now dragged the name of then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh in controversial Satyam land deal. Emboldened by failure of opposition and State Government to take any action despite CAG strictures, the MADC in a sworn affidavit has questioned even the very basis of CAG report chiding MADC for allotting cheap land to Satyam.
The CAG report, tabled in the budget session of Maharashtra Assembly in April 2010, had blamed MADC bosses for causing massive loss to the State Government and indicted them for granting an "undue benefit" of Rs 20.21 crore to Satyam Computer Services Limited (SCSL). The "First come First serve" basis which attained notoriety in 2G spectrum scam, was also used by MADC while allotting land to Satyam only to invite stringent criticism from CAG.
The CAG has clearly observed that "The Company (MADC) had not formulated any policy for concessional allotment of land as an "early bird" incentive. Formulation of such a policy was necessary to ensure fairness and transparency in the Company’s sale of land policy." However, the MADC maintained that "Board of Directors of the MADC had taken a decision to allot land at a concessional rate to early birds/applicants."
Apparently to get over the CAG indictment, the MADC bosses have now dragged the name of then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh (who was ex-officio Chairman of MADC) to claim that allotment of land to Satyam was considered by Board of Directors on December 5, 2005. "In the said meeting 9 members of the Board of Directors of the MADC were present which included the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra and the Chairman of MADC, Shri Vilasraoji D Deshmukh," the MADC claimed in its latest affidavit.
Technically, this may be correct. But in reality, Sinha has been the actual mover and shaker in all matters as regards MADC, which is a common knowledge and confirmed by MADC in its own affidavit.
The MADC affidavit narrated in detail efforts taken by R C Sinha to woo investors for MIHAN-SEZ but conveniently passed the buck to entire Board headed by then Chief Minister, obviously to get rid of CAG indictment to absolve Sinha from any direct responsibility.
The affidavit also gives a great detail about pains taken by Sinha to convince some of the leading IT industries like L&TInfoCity, Infosys, TCS etc and how land was offered to them at a very low price, but these companies refused to invest in Nagpur. "Satyam was also offered the land at Nagpur by the Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of the MADC. The officials of Satyam were not convinced with the rate offered to them as they were of the view that it was too high when compared with rates in other Tier II cities SEZs," the affidavit stated.
After hectic parleys and convincing Satyam that "the MADC is not selling only the land but is selling the infrastructure," the MADC pursued the matter with State Government and finally the land allotment to Satyam was considered by Board of Directors headed by ex-Officio Chairman and then Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. "After due deliberation and consideration, it was unanimously decided at the said Board Meeting dated December 5, 2005 that M/s Satyam be allotted land admeasuring 100 acres on a concessional rate of Rs 18 lakh per acre," the MADC has claimed.
Due to spillway of Telhara tank the roads were realigned and re-demarcated and remaining residual strip of 28.06 acre was offered to Satyam at Rs 22.35 lakh per acre since "no other industry would be interested in the residual strip of 28.06 acres," the MADC had claimed by way of justification.
Unfortunately for MADC and its bosses, the CAG had already refused to accept this feeble justification and tersely observed "allotment of additional land to Satyam Computers without the approval of Board of Directors was not justifiable in the absence of a policy regarding concessioal allotments." The affidavit has now tried to discredit CAG’s observation by claiming approval to early bird offer by Board of Directors on a non-disclosed date.
Incidentally, Sinha was Chairman of Maytas Infra Limited (a sister concern of Satyam promoted by the now incarcerated Ramlinga Raju) and hence the matter became all the more serious for clash of interest and allotment of prime land to Satyam. Sinha remained non-Executive Director and Chairman of Maytas Infra Ltd till January 2009 and tendered resignation of directorship and chairmanship of the company after the Satyam scandal rocked the country and its founder Ramalingam Raju was arrested for the biggest corporate fraud.
Expressing total ignorance about alleged link between M/s Satyam and M/s Maytas, the MADC has now claimed "On December 5, 2005, M/s Satyam and M/s Maytas were distinct and different entities and no one, including R C Sinha, knew about the alleged link between M/s Satyam and M/s Maytas. The alleged link was disclosed for the first time somewhere around January 2009."
NAGPUR: Until now Ajay Sancheti was known to have only a BJP connection: last year Nitin Gadkari had invited him to be on the party's national executive. Documents now with TOI indicate that he may also have close links with the present Democratic Front state government comprising Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.
Documents collected under RTI Act by Arunkumar Sampat, a contractor with Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation, reveal the promoters of Sancheti group used a dead company to corner more contracts by bypassing the norms. Interestingly, prominent builder Avinash Bhosale had also allegedly colluded with them in bagging multi-crore contracts.
Insiders say the fraud could be worth at least Rs 2,000 crore with the Sanchetis using fraudulent means to bag irrigation projects. The VIDC was headed by the current deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in his capacity as the irrigation minister in the previous government.
The Sanchetis have also been in the news recently for the manner in which they bagged flats in Mumbai's Adarsh Housing Society.
Clever Sancheti milked state for irrigation contracts
Until now Ajay Sancheti was known to have only a BJP connection after being invited to be on the party's national executive by its president Nitin Gadkari last year. However, documents now with TOI indicate that he also has close links with the current Democratic Front state government which comprises the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.
Insiders feel that the fraud could be worth at least Rs 2,000 crore with the Sanchetis using fraudulent means to bag irrigation projects from the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC). This was being headed by the current deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in his capacity as the irrigation minister in the previous government.
Documents collected under the RTI Act by Arunkumar Sampat, who too is a VIDC contractor, reveal that the promoters of the Sancheti group made a dead company come alive which became the means of cornering more contracts by bypassing the norms. Interestingly, Cidco scamster and prominent builder Avinash Bhosale had also colluded with them in bagging multi-crore contracts.
The Sanchetis have also been in the news recently for the piquant manner in which they bagged flats in Mumbai's Adarsh Housing Society. While one is in the name of Ajay Sancheti's driver Sudhakar Madke, a second is in the name his cousin Paramveer who is a student in the UK and the third in the name of Rajesh S Bora, brother-in-law of Abhay Sancheti who is Ajay's uncle and Paramveer's father.
Ten months after complaints of alleged corruption in VIDC were filed by the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh and Shiv Sena's Suresh Gambhir, a former MLA from Mahim in Mumbai, the state water resources department began an enquiry about two months back. It is yet to be concluded.
"An enquiry is being conducted by three chief engineers of the VIDC in the Sancheti matter," said C S Modak, the executive director of VIDC.
"It's a blatant fraud, Sancheti should be blacklisted by the VIDC," said Sampat.
The Sancheti group, which is a leading player in Vidarbha region in construction, mining and power sector, is one of the main contractors with the VIDC. The corporation rules state that no single firm can hold more than three contracts simultaneously. Though this has been in existence for at least 10 years, the VIDC recently changed the rule which was only in force to ensure that contractors can complete existing projects before starting on a new one.
In a bid to gain more contracts, the Sanchetis adopted an ingenious method. After bagging contracts in the name of Shaktikumar M Sancheti Ltd, the firm changed its name to SMS Infrastructure Ltd. If the promoters change the name of their company then the entity with the previous name ceases to exist. However, this did not happen in case of the Sanchetis.
Both companies continued to exist and bag VIDC contracts, far exceeding the upper limit of three.
On November 28, 2005, the registrar of companies issued Shaktikumar M Sancheti Ltd a fresh certificate of incorporation with SMS Infrastructure Ltd as the name. This new company continued to have the same VIDC contractor registration number - 1083. Even though the Sanchetis intimated the VIDC about the change of name in 2006, they continued to bag contracts in the old name too. A project-wise intimation has to be submitted to the corporation.
The VIDC too did not see anything wrong in both Shaktikumar M Sancheti Ltd and SMS Infrastructure Ltd, the group's current name, bagging contracts. It also issued contractor registration certificates to the former on March 14, 2007 as well as the new firm on July 23, 2007. The two firms continued to be awarded different contracts.
Ajay Sancheti, however, told TOI that there was nothing hanky-panky in the bagging of projects. "Since the work orders are issued by different executive engineers of VIDC, they took varying time to incorporate the changes," said Ajay Sancheti, who is the MD of SMS Infrastructure Ltd.
"Many a time, the engineers continued to issue cheques and other documents in the name of Shaktikumar M Sancheti Ltd even though we had changed the name of the company," he added.
A VIDC officer, preferring anonymity, told TOI that this irregularity would not have been possible without the connivance of the top brass of the corporation. "Not only did the two firms continue to bag contracts, they also formed joint ventures with different companies and bagged more contracts in the name of the JVs," the officer added.
Sanchetis formed joint ventures in the name of both Sancheti Infrastructure Limited and SMS Limited. The former tied up with Mumbai-based M/S N Thakkar Construction Private Limited and the latter with another Mumbai-based firm D Thakkar Construction Private Limited. Incidentally, a number of directors are on the board of both the Mumbai firms.
The first partnership deed between Shaktikumar M Sancheti Limited and SN Thakkar was executed on November 14, 2005 just a fortnight before it changed its name to SMS. The SMS-D. Thakkar deed is dated December 4, 2008.
However, even in 2007, when Shaktikumar M Sancheti did not exist anymore, a partnership deed was forged with SN Thakkar for taking up another VIDC contract. As per VIDC rules, a fresh joint venture has to be formed to bid for each contract.
In this manner, the Sanchetis bagged six projects in partnership with the Thakkars. One job was awarded to SMS Infrastructure on its own and another to a joint venture of Shaktikumar Sancheti Ltd and Soma Enterprise Ltd headed by Avinash Bhosale.
On this, Sancheti responded with a very vague "I don't have the details". "My director Dilip Surana is away for a couple of days," he said.
The Thakkars too have been indicted in a separate VIDC enquiry for circumventing corporation rules. The enquiry officer found that two out of four directors in SN Thakkar Construction and D Thakkar Construction - Pravin Thakkar and Jigar Thakkar - were the same. He concluded that it amounted to the same company bagging two offers. Even though the enquiry report was submitted in March this year, no action has been taken so far.
UNQUOTE
PRAYER
Honorable leader of opposition is kindly requested to arrange to raise the issue reported byTimes of India’s (published on 3rd December 2010) shocking report on Rs.2000 crore irrigation VIDC contract scam in Prime Minister Vidarbha Relief Package and issue of state ATR in CAG report on mega land scam in MIHAN Nagpur reported by HITAVADA ,NAGPUR
VIDARBHA JANANDOLAN SAMITI
PRESIDENT –
KISHORE TIWARI,
B.E. (Mech.Engg.), M.B.A., LL.B., M.A. (Pub. & Admn.), M.A. Sociology,
M.I.S. (USA), Fellow - I.E.H., Fellow – Institution of Engineers (India)-
CHARTERED ENGINEER
BACKGROUND :
Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti is fighting for the cause of common man since 1998.
Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti is constantly pursuing its battle on various fronts like –
a.Administrative
b.Judicial
c.Quasi-judicial
d.Legislative
e.Parliamentary
f.International levels
PUBLIC ISSUES :
1.Farmers suicides
2.Mal nutrition of Tribals.
3.Plights of Rural economy
4.Drinking water
5.Right to Food
6.Right to Education
7.Problems of Minorities
8.Issue of Separate Statehood to Vidarbha
THE EFFECT OF MOVEMENT :
The continued follow up and Jan Andolans of Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti has resulted in many success broadly classified as –
1.Waiver of small farmers crop loans
2.interest remission to marginal farmers
3.right to food to the lacs of tribals.
4.Primary Education to every rural students.
5.Farmers packages
6.BPL benefits to thousands of poor families.
7.Justice to unwed mothers
एखादे काम हाती घेतले की त्याची तड लागेपर्यंत स्वस्थ बसायचे नाही हा कोणत्याही सामाजिक कार्यकर्त्यांमध्ये आवश्यक असलेला गुण पारोमितामध्ये ठासून भरला आहे. वेठबिगाराचे प्रकरण असो, आदिवासींच्या जमीनी परत मिळवून देण्याचा प्रश्न असो वा चिन्ना मट्टामीचा लढा असो, पारोमिता व तिची संघटना न्याय मिळवूनच शांत झाली.
