A major controversy has erupted over an alleged water supply scam involving tankers in Theog subdivision of Shimla district in Himachal Pradesh, with the matter now being handed over to the Vigilance Department for an investigation.
On Saturday (January 4, 2024), a team led by Shimla Additional Superintendent of Police Narveer Singh Rathore began investigations and seized records from the SDM office in Theog.
Irregularities in delivery of water
The scam surfaced following a report published in a Hindi daily, revealing alleged irregularities in water supply arrangements.
It alleged that the authorities had, in their record and bills, shown motorcycles, cars and even an officer’s personal car as water tankers, which were hired to provide water in inaccessible locations where tankers could not reach.
This triggered a departmental stir, leading to the suspension of 10 officials on Friday.
2 executive engineers among suspended
The suspended officials include two executive engineers, three assistant engineers and four junior engineers. Action has also been initiated against a retired junior engineer.
The suspended officials have been attached to the department’s headquarters, and contractors involved in the scheme have been blacklisted.
The government handed the case over to Vigilance, which acted swiftly by inspecting the Theog SDM office and collecting related documents. Sources said that an FIR may be registered soon, further complicating matters for the suspended officials.
Commenting on the issue, Theog MLA and Congress leader Kuldeep Rathore emphasised accountability, stating, “No guilty party will be spared. Upon learning about the scam on November 27, I immediately approached Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister Mukesh Agnihotri to demand an impartial inquiry.”
Mukesh, the SDM of Theog, confirmed that all necessary documents related to the case had been handed over to the Vigilance team.
