Satej Patil fears Kolhapur pipeline project he got approved may be tampered with for political gains

Kolhapur: Congress MLC Satej Patil said the direct water supply pipelines from Kalammawadi dam, located some 50km away, to Kolhapur city may be tampered with for political gains, and that he would request the police department to deploy bandobast and security along the entire stretch of the project.Patil made the remarks while holding a presentation to refute allegations by Mahayuti politicians who targeted him for alleged corruption and poor-quality work.Satej Patil said in his presentation that both BJP politicians got water to their taps for the past three years, along with 1.2 lakh connections in the city, from the same project that he got approved. The Rs 450 crore project was approved during the last year of UPA govt."Attempts were made to tamper with the pipelines, the bolts were removed, and the city reeled under water scarcity. The Kolhapur Municipal Corporation filed FIRs against miscreants. The project was commissioned three years ago, but I have been targeted during every election since then. I am going to request the police to provide security to the project as, for political mileage, the project may be tampered with," said Patil.He said the opposition accused that the water was not reaching the citizens, and countered that the project to lay internal water pipelines was given to a contractor who is the son of a BJP MLA."That contractor was fined Rs 24 crore for delays in laying internal pipelines. Why do the Mahayuti politicians not make the contractor pay the fine and get the remaining work completed?" asked Patil.