Three govt staffers waste 1.5 lakh litres of water in parched Latur, lose pay hike

AURANGABAD: Three government employees in Latur, including a Class I officer, have been denied a salary increment after they were found responsible for causing wastage of water in the parched city.

The unusual action was linked with the August 21 incident of wastage of 1.5 lakh litres of water from six overhead tanks, managed by the Latur Municipal Corporation (LMC), due to an overflow for 20 minutes. All three are from the LMC’s water supply department.

District collector Pandurang Pole, the acting LMC chief punished the trio after a probe. In his explanation, the Class I officer has held his two subordinates responsible for the incident. Pole, however, held all three responsible after examining the entire incident.


Residents of Latur began getting water through taps in early August after a gap of nearly six months. Till then, a train was carrying 25 lakh litres of water from Miraj in western Maharashtra to the parched city every day. Even now, water is being supplied after a gap of 15 days.

The LMC has been lifting water from Nagzari and Sai barrages for supply to the city and is storing it in the six overhead tanks. “It (the water wasted) could have quenched the thirst of hundreds. The action will send a strong signal,” a district administration official said.

Times View

The idea of public servants being held accountable for their acts of omission and commission is one that this newspaper has pushed vigorously and consistently.

We have always held that unless individual accountability is fixed and punishment meted out accordingly, government institutions will have little incentive to serve the citizens as they are meant to do.

In that light, this is a step in the right direction. We hope that this action in Latur will not remain a one-off and that it will become the norm.