Gandhinagar, March 13 (IANS) The Gujarat government has recovered Rs 1.04 crore from the construction agency after a newly built overhead water tank collapsed during testing in Surat district, Water Resources and Supply Minister Ishwarsinh Patel informed the state Assembly on Friday.

Replying to a question raised by a legislator, Patel said the tank had been constructed at Hariyal Sub Headworks in Tadkeshwar village and collapsed during testing.

The tank, with a storage capacity of nine lakh litres, had been sanctioned for Rs 94.84 lakh, of which Rs 83.45 lakh had been paid to the agency.

Following the incident, the government recovered Rs 1.04 crore from the contractor and filed a police complaint against the firm responsible for the construction.

The minister told the House that officials and others found responsible for the incident had been suspended from duty and were currently in judicial custody.

“All those found responsible for the incident of the water tank collapse have been suspended from duty. The officials and accused responsible in this case are currently in jail custody,” Patel said.

He added that inspections of other works carried out by the same agency were being conducted strictly at project sites.

“No one found guilty in this matter will be spared,” Patel said.

The collapse occurred in January during a trial run, when water was being filled into the newly constructed tank to test its strength.

The 15-metre-high structure, built under the ‘Gaypagla Group Water Supply Scheme’ and intended to supply drinking water to several villages in the region, suddenly gave way during testing, injuring three labourers working nearby.

Patel also informed the Assembly that a new water tank would be constructed at the same site to ensure that residents in the area continue to receive a water supply.

Providing broader details about water infrastructure in the state, the minister said that more than 20,000 water tanks have been constructed across Gujarat over the past 25 years to ensure the supply of clean drinking water, particularly to citizens living in remote areas.

“More than Rs 24 crore has been approved under the scheme in Surat district to provide water supply to 34 villages,” he said.

The project aims to strengthen drinking water availability in rural parts of the district.

–IANS

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