Patna: An open rift in the state government surfaced on Friday over water logging in Patna. Urban development department had issued a notification on Thursday announcing formation of a three-members inquiry committee to probe into the causes of waterlogging. However, on Friday morning, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said no probe has been ordered.
Urban development minister Suresh Sharma on Thursday said the three-members inquiry panel consisting of the special secretary of urban development department, managing director of the Bihar urban infrastructure development corporation and Patna Municipal Commissioner has been set up to find out reasons which led to water logging and fix responsibilities. The committee has been directed to probe on seven counts, including area and colony wise water logging, working of drainage system, pump houses not working and pumps becoming non-functional. Sharma had said the committee would submit its report to the government 'strictly" within a week and name the officers and engineers responsible for the water logging for over a week.He said the government would take action against the guilty officers within 15 days.The notification was made public today.
However, Sushil Kumar Modi on Friday denied formation of any inquiry committee and categorically said, "No inquiry has been ordered".
Sources close to Modi said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had taken strong objection of the urban development minister announcing formation of an inquiry committee without consulting the chief minister or his secretariat. These sources said Nitish Kumar wanted to take credit for formation of inquiry committee after October 14, when he would conduct a meeting with the officers and ministers and MLAs. The unilateral announcement of the minister hurt him and he asked the deputy chief minister to contradict the report.
LAW KUMAR MISHRA
