Mandleshwar (Khargone district, Madhya Pradesh): The incidents of theft are on rise in dam area of Maheshwar Hydroelectric Project, as there is none to guard the equipment installed at site.
Neither the project management nor the administration seems to be paying attention to frequent thefts taking place in project area spread over 550 acres.
Mufazzal Hussain, one of the employees working at project site, said equipment wires worth crores of rupees are on target of thieves who often steal them at night. In fact, wires used to lift dam’s gates have been cut, making them inactive.
Maheshwar Hydroelectric Project, is a much needed project for region’s development. It is being built for last 25 years. About 90 per cent of work is complete,10 per cent remains to be done.
Equipment at dam site is also being targeted by thieves |
Bridge built before dam has become a den of thieves |
Employees deployed at the yard Kamal Singh Mandloi, Vikas Verma, Ghisalal Kanude, Shailendra Mansare, Phoolchand Kanude and Narendra Nakul said equipment and wires worth crores of rupees are kept in yard of Maheshwar Hydroelectric Project.
Several complaints of theft were lodged by the guarding staff at Mandleshwar police station but no action has been taken.
Mandleshwar city panchayat vice president Shyam Mewade admitted that thefts are frequent in dam area. The thieves who were arrested have been released on bail and there is no guarantee that they will not commit theft again.
When contacted, Mandleshwar sub-divisional officer (police) Dhruv Kumar Singh Chouhan said police station station incharge has been told increase police patrolling around dam site.
Iron plates, which thieves removed |
