Maharashtra to take back Rs 91 crore from civic bodies over scrapped lake projects | Mumbai News

April 29, 2026 Headlinesnews

3 min readMumbaiApr 29, 2026 07:00 AM IST

A day after The Indian Express reported that Maharashtra’s environment and climate change department, led by BJP minister Pankaja Munde cancelled administrative approval to 14 lake conservation projects cleared under previous governments, including 11 sanctioned when former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, a senior official from the department said that the money disbursed for those projects will be sought back from local civic bodies.

Of the 14 projects scrapped, 11 were approved during Shinde’s tenure, while three were cleared when the department was headed by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray during the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

“These projects were cancelled after a review by the department. Even as the money was released, no work was undertaken for two years or more. The money remained unspent with the local bodies. It will be returned to the department,” said a senior official.

The 11 projects cleared under Shinde that have now been scrapped include Mukteshwar, Samatanagar and Ausa lakes in Latur; Vadap lake in Karjat (Raigad); Parampok lake in Parli (Beed); Beloshi lake in Alibaug (Raigad); and Kalmadu, Visapur, Devli and Brahmanshevage lakes in Chalisgaon (Jalgaon). These projects were estimated to cost Rs 244.15 crore, of which Rs 73.31 crore had already been released.

The three projects cleared under Thackeray — Ozar lake in Lanja (Ratnagiri), Erangal lake in Mumbai and Khambale lake in Igatpuri (Nashik) — had a combined project cost of Rs 35.99 crore, with Rs 18 crore already disbursed.

“Since the in-principle approval previously granted to a total of 14 lake conservation projects is being cancelled, and in order to avoid financial irregularities, the funds previously distributed by the state government for these projects — along with accrued interest — must be recovered,” the order had stated.

The official claimed that the decision of cancellation is based on the review undertaken by the department and not a political one as assembly constituencies like Ausa and Chalisgaon belong to BJP MLAs.

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The decision follows a steering committee meeting on February 16, 2026, which found that five of these lake conservation proposals were not prepared in the prescribed format as per the guidelines of the State Lake Conservation Scheme. Nine other proposals had failed to submit revised project reports to the department, despite more than two years having passed since their first application.

Minister Munde did not respond to calls and messages.

The State Lake Conservation Plan, implemented in Maharashtra since 2006–07, is a state-level scheme aimed at the revival of lakes and water bodies. It focuses on preventing pollution, desilting water bodies, improving water flow, beautification, and protecting the local ecosystem. It is implemented through local self-government bodies such as municipal corporations and councils, which submit project proposals to the state government for funding approval. Priority is given to the restoration of historically significant lakes, particularly in small towns and villages.

Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra’s hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues.
Expertise

Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai.

Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the ‘hinterlands’).

Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including:

State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana).

Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides).

Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC’s OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits.

Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness

Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects.

Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission.

Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards.

Alok Deshpande’s rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra.
He tweets @alokdesh … Read More

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