Nagpur: Eyebrows are being raised at the special privilege being provided to a Khaparkheda-based company working on contract with Mahanirmiti in Nagpur. The company had caught the eye of storm some time back when it was found to have been involved in series of irregularities pertaining to its functioning. The investigation report clearly held this company responsible for illegally drawing coal and selling it in local market on the pretext of drawing coal dust, for which it was assigned the contract by Mahanirmiti.
Moreover, this company had not even paid to its labourers for the past few months. Despite the probe recommending the blacklisting of this company, it is still associated with the department and enjoying the privilege of its proximity to Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule.
Sources informed that an undisclosed agreement followed the probe ordered by Bawankule against the said contractor. After this secret agreement, the contractor continued to be associated with Mahanirmiti despite the charges were proved against him.
Gold Rate
25 April 2025
The said contractor has been into the works of labour contract along with ash handling and coal handling at Mahanirmiti’s Koradi and Khaparkheda projects for the last many years. The contractor had jointly bagged the work of ash handling and coal handling. Sources informed that the said contractor had left the work of ash handling unfinished whereas the work of coal handling was continued.
Meanwhile the company used its influence and also grabbed the contract of drawing coal dust out of mines. However the company illegally drew coal instead of coal dust and sold it in local markets with the help of punters.
Later, when Bawankule visited the company premises, he was flooded with complaints against the said contractor. The Energy Minister then ordered probe into the matter and also announced that FIR should be filed against the company if found guilty. Mahanirmiti management then conducted an impartial probe which caught the contractor on the wrong end. However till date, neither the FIR has been lodged against the company not it has been blacklisted by Mahanirmiti.
The company has reportedly not paid to its workers for the last 3-4 months, which is also blatantly ignored by the Mahanirmiti authorities.
– Rajeev Ranjan Kushwaha (rajeev.nagpurtoday@gmail.com)
