₹272 Cr Water Conservation Scam in Pune: Fake Docs, Collusion & Farmer Betrayal.

₹272 Cr Water Scam Shocks Pune

• Fake Docs, Real Loot in Water Projects

• Water Works, Zero Work – Farmers Betrayed

• Flood of Funds, Drought of Action

Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098

A ₹272 crore scam has been exposed in Pune’s Water Conservation Department, where fake documents and collusion between contractors and officials led to massive fund misuse. Despite huge allocations since 2009, projects remain incomplete. The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) calls for audits and criminal inquiry as farmers suffer the consequences.

₹272 Crore Water Conservation Scam Rocks Pune

In a shocking revelation, a major scam involving the Water Conservation Department in Pune has come to light. The fraudulent practices span over several years, with public funds meant for drought mitigation and rural development being grossly misused. What began as a ₹16 crore project in 2009 has now ballooned into a ₹272 crore contract—yet most of the work remains incomplete.

According to documents reviewed by the Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT), fake ownership claims over Pune Mahanagar Transport (PMT) and State Transport (ST) buses were used to falsely demonstrate eligibility for public contracts. These fabricated documents helped contractors secure massive government tenders without meeting actual qualifications or resource criteria.

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Senior Officials Allegedly Involved in Contractor Nexus

One of the most disturbing elements in the SIT’s probe is the alleged collusion between senior officials in the Water Conservation Department and private contractors. Instead of enforcing compliance, officials reportedly enabled fund misappropriation by signing off on forged paperwork and incomplete work.

Instead of utilizing government funds to complete critical irrigation and watershed infrastructure, large sums were diverted or misused, resulting in stalled projects and unproductive spending. The scam has directly impacted farmers, who remain at the receiving end of delayed or non-existent rural infrastructure.

Numerous water conservation schemes announced over the past 15 years—including canal restoration, dam maintenance, and rural water storage—have been found to exist only on paper. Ground implementation has been severely lacking, with entire villages still waiting for access to planned water assets.

Farmers Bear the Brunt as Promises Fall Flat

While the government continues to announce water sustainability campaigns, the reality in affected regions is grim. Irrigation plans remain unfinished, water channels unlined, and check dams poorly constructed or abandoned halfway. The beneficiaries, especially farmers in drought-prone belts, have been deprived of basic water security.

SIT’s documentation indicates that the funds were not only misused but actively laundered through inflated contracts, ghost workers, and deliberately delayed work. In multiple locations, structures exist only in records, with on-ground verification exposing bare land or incomplete foundations.

This systematic fraud has derailed rural development goals, rendering schemes like Jalyukt Shivar and Integrated Watershed Management ineffective in some regions.

Public Demands Accountability and Criminal Inquiry

Amid growing public outrage, citizen groups and activists have demanded a criminal inquiry into the entire ₹272 crore water conservation scam. They argue that the state cannot turn a blind eye when public money is siphoned off at the cost of essential infrastructure.

The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT) has submitted part of its findings to independent watchdogs and plans to release further evidence in upcoming reports. This includes procurement trails, contractor backgrounds, internal communication between officials, and satellite imagery of project locations.

Several whistleblowers have also come forward anonymously, highlighting how systematic procedural lapses and political shielding allowed this scam to continue for over a decade.

Also Read: MEIL’s ₹56 Cr Fine Slashed to ₹17 Lakh After Ministerial Waiver.

A Wake-Up Call for Maharashtra’s Rural Infrastructure Oversight

This scam is not an isolated incident but symptomatic of deeper issues in Maharashtra’s public works oversight. When fake claims and collusion override due process, essential services like water conservation are compromised, and those most in need—farmers—are left helpless.

Experts are now calling for CAG audits, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) involvement, and judicial monitoring of all major water conservation projects sanctioned in the past 15 years.

Unless swift action is taken, this ₹272 crore scam could just be the tip of the iceberg.